Applications & Infrastructure middleware market will reach US$ 27 billion in 2017

 

Gartner states that the worldwide application, integration and middleware (AIM) middleware software market continues to grow faster than the overall infrastructure systems sector. At this rate, its revenue should reach US$ 27 billion in 2017, an increase of 7% compared to 2016.
 
"Traditional approaches to application infrastructure are too rigid, closed and complex to meet the diverse requirements of digital enterprises," said Fabrizio Biscotti, research vice president at Gartner.
 
"The growth of mobility, Big Data, Analytics, memory computing, Cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) initiatives is associated with digital business and requires professionals specialized in applications and integration to invest in the new AIM technologies. This, in turn, , enables new integration approaches, based on the new AIM solutions, such as programmable interface management for applications and integration platform as a service,” says Biscotti.
 
 
 
Three fundamental requirements are central to this shift. First and foremost, digital businesses need an open, flexible, and lightweight model that allows for simple, agile configuration and deployment of features both in the cloud and on-premise. Organizations also need platforms that support different combinations of resources, applications, data, processes and other operations from inside or outside the company. Finally, they need self-service brokers who can scale up and down quickly.
 
"Cloud application infrastructure offerings are still maturing, although they better meet market demands for more agility, scalability, productivity and efficiency than on-premise alternatives. However, the oldest technology often remains the most indicated for more demanding scenarios”, says the analyst.
 
The AIM software industry is split between developed and emerging segments. The developed ones are larger in size and their market is mostly consolidated in the hands of a few, already well-established suppliers. Much of the revenue comes from maintenance fees, with slow growth, typically in the single digits. Among the segments developed are application servers and corporate process management suites.
 
Emerging segments include mobile application development platforms, in-memory data networking, and platform-as-a-service, to name a few. These industries are small in size but are experiencing double-digit growth rates because they are expanding rapidly, in line with the rise of digital businesses and market demand for more agility and scalability. This segment shows a high level of fragmentation, with new suppliers struggling to expand their share before market consolidation.
 
"The emerging space is driving above-average worldwide revenue growth within the AIM software market. Companies seeking competitive advantage through digital business need new approaches to application integration and infrastructure, a clear trend among the fastest growing emerging segments“, completes Biscotti.