Layer 7 Technologies, a provider of API management and mobilization tools for the new open enterprise, today announced it has been named a Leader by Forrester Research Inc. in its new report, “The Forrester Wave™: API Management Platforms, Q1 2013.”

Layer 7 was part of a select list of companies invited by Forrester Research to participate in its Forrester Wave Report: API Management Platforms, Q1 2013. In the report, Forrester describes API management as valuable because “APIs create and unlock the business value of data.”

Based on fifteen pieces of criteria, including API consumer experience, integration capabilities with various back-end and third-party systems, analytics and monitoring features, Layer 7 was listed as a Leader and given the highest score for its current offering.

In the report, Layer 7 is described as having “showed sophistication in its SOA-derived solution while offering solid solutions for new API management challenges.”

The report goes on to say, “Layer 7 has strong features and has a commanding market presence. Layer 7 has deep roots in the XML gateway marketplace but has moved aggressively into API management. Technical adopters will find a lot of depth to Layer 7’s service management capabilities, including a variety of deployment options, sophisticated traffic shaping and routing capabilities, and extensive connectivity to existing enterprise systems. These gateway features work well for customers that need to build a RESTful infrastructure on top of an existing ESB layer or transpose existing services to make them friendlier to Open Web developers. Layer 7’s more recent investments focus on a flexible developer portal driven by a web content management system (CMS) and a mobile backend-as-a-service (BaaS). The combined offering has something for API administrators and owners alike.”

“We believe this ranking by Forrester is a validation of the work and expertise we have invested in creating the most enterprise and carrier friendly API management solution in the market,” said Dimitri Sirota, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Layer 7. “In terms of integration, connectivity, security and the overall API experience, we feel our product has consistently shown that it rises to the top and delivers everything organizations need for developing a successful API management strategy for mobile, cloud, partners and developer access.”

Layer 7 also received the highest ranking in terms of market presence, which is based on revenue, customers and consulting.

Forrester previously named Layer 7 a leader in the area of SOA Application Gateways in Q4, 2011¹. An SOA application gateway sits as a control and adaptation point for application services exposed through APIs.

To get a courtesy copy of the Q1, 2013 Forrester Wave on API Management Platforms, please visit: http://layer7.com/fw13.

About Layer 7 Technologies

Layer 7 provides API building blocks for the new open enterprise. The company’s products help nearly 300 organizations worldwide open APIs to developer communities, securely connect applications to cloud services, expose internal information assets to mobile apps and bridge departments and partners through SOA style integration. The company was named the 183rd fastest growing public or private technology company in 2012 by Deloitte.

1. Randy Heffner with Alex Cullen, Lauren Blackburn, “The Forrester Wave™: SOA Application Gateways, Q4 2011,” Forester Research, November 18, 2011.