In the realm of digital transformation, the terms Hybrid Integration Platform (HIP) and Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) are often discussed. Both terms were coined by Gartner, and these frameworks and platforms play a crucial role in the integration landscape of organisations. Let’s delve into what they are and how they differ.

What is a Hybrid Integration Platform (HIP)?

A HIP is a strategic framework that combines on-premises and cloud-based technical and operational integration capabilities. This includes the necessary technology, people and processes to support a wide range of integration use cases across an organisation. Gartner describes HIP as the “home” for all functionalities that ensure the smooth integration of multiple digital transformation initiatives within an organisation.

Figure 1 – Representation of Gartner’s HIP

Figure 1 is a representation of Gartner’s HIP, a robust framework. I won’t dive deep into details in this blog as whilst this is a good framework, it has evolved with age, and I will do a detailed paper on the evolution of the HIP.

What is an Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)?

On the other hand, an iPaaS, is a cloud-based platform that provides a suite of technical capabilities to enable the integration of an organization’s various applications, services, and data sources. Gartner defines an iPaaS as a vendor- managed cloud service that facilitates integrations between a variety of applications, services, and data sources, both internal and external to the organisation.

Figure 2 iPaaS Technical Capabilities

Figure 2 illustrates the capabilities of an iPaaS, and you can see that they are all technical capabilities, but that an iPaaS should be able to meet all of the technical capabilities of a HIP, to a greater or lesser extent. So, what this is telling us is that the iPaaS market has evolved so much since 2015 when the concept of the HIP was first introduced that it should meet all of the technical integration capabilities required by an organisation. My experience is that while some iPaaS offerings fully deliver on these promises, many fall short in specific use cases. Even the most robust platforms may encounter limitations under certain conditions, and that’s why a HIP allows for different vendors to provide different technical capabilities; sometimes, a use case calls for a best-of-breed solution.

The Differences Between HIP and iPaaS

While both HIP and iPaaS serve the purpose of integration, they are distinct in their structure and implementation:

• Creation vs. Purchase: Unlike iPaaS, which is provided by a single vendor, a HIP cannot be purchased as a ready-made solution. It must be created by combining integration technology, people, and processes tailored to an organisation’s strategy, culture, operating model, and specific integration use cases.
• Theoretical Framework vs. Technical Platform: HIP is a theoretical framework that guides the orchestration of various integration capabilities. In contrast, iPaaS is a platform that offers technical integration capabilities.
• Multi-Vendor vs. Single Vendor: The technical capabilities of a HIP can be sourced from multiple vendors and often need to be, due to the diverse requirements of an organization. iPaaS, however, is typically a consolidated platform provided by one vendor.
• Component Relationship: An iPaaS can be considered a component of a HIP, as it provides the technical means for integration, which is part of the broader HIP framework.
• Deployment and Scalability: The HIP framework allows for the integration technical capabilities to be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. For organisations that cannot deploy to the cloud the framework is still valid, but an iPaaS has to be deployed to the cloud. That is different to an iPaaS being able to cope with On-Premise to on-premise integration use cases and On-premise to Cloud integration use cases; they absolutely should be able to. However, the iPaaS must be vendor-managed and cloud-based with scalability managed by the vendor.

Conclusion

The HIP was created to give organisations a framework of both technical and operational capabilities to help them develop and organise their integration strategy. An iPaaS, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the capabilities provided by the vendor, provides the technical capabilities of the HIP.

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