The initial setup is relatively straightforward. You get an installer, and click on it and it asks where to create the workspace. That's all it takes. 

Some of it was pretty straightforward. Some aspects of it were challenging. I am not exactly sure what the aspects were, but that is the feedback I heard. And sometimes when moving through versions, some forms of code might not work, but some code might work. So that is also another aspect they mentioned.

The initial setup was straightforward with no issues. 

The amount of people needed for deployment and maintenance will depend on the project. For example, we are a financial team working as a GBS, Global Business Service. Based on the project, we have two developers and a DBA.

The product's deployment for on-premise servers is easy. At the same time, it is tedious to deploy on clusters. We use the DevOps pipeline for on-cloud deployments. It takes a few seconds to complete the process.

The initial setup is fairly straightforward so long as you have experience with the product and know about containers, but it takes a long time to complete.

I rate the ease of initial setup an eight out of ten. The initial setup is complex if you are not familiar with it. Still, it is straightforward if you study the product and have proper training and knowledge of the development and features.

The cloud platform integration's complexity depends on the prior experience working with it. For a beginner, the process would take a lot of work. It is straightforward once one gets familiar with it.

In implementing IBM App Connect, multiple options are available, each with its complexity and steps. You can set it up on a single virtual machine, which is comparatively simpler. Next, deploying it within a Kubernetes environment or as a Docker container requires additional steps for configuration but provides more flexibility. The recommended approach is deploying in OpenShift, which offers advantages but might involve a more comprehensive setup process.

Utilizing pre-existing operators created by IBM significantly simplifies the setup, reducing complexity for implementation. Once set up, developers gain convenient access, enabling them to swiftly create the instances, possibly automating the process with minimal effort. This advantage makes the Kubernetes or OpenShift environment particularly favorable, offering scalability and ease of use for App Connect instances.

Various roles handle different aspects of IBM App Connect deployment and management in organizational settings. For instance, an integration specialist or administrator may focus on IBM App Connect's configuration and management, while developers require access to the environment for development. Additionally, some organizations might have specific roles dedicated to supporting production environments, restricting access accordingly. While in certain scenarios, one person might fulfill multiple roles; larger organizations tend to separate these responsibilities among different individuals or teams to maintain control, security, and proper governance over the deployment and usage of the product.

It is easy to maintain. When IBM releases a new version or features, upgrading to these updates via the new operator is relatively straightforward. It typically involves just a few clicks to upgrade to the latest version. While there are considerations and guidelines to follow during these updates, adhering to these steps makes the process simple and manageable. Overall, with proper adherence to guidelines and instructions, the maintenance, updates, and upgrades within Kubernetes environments are simple and can be handled efficiently.

We were lucky in that we good advice from local companies, so it was pretty easy for us to implement the product. I would rate the ease of implementation to eight out of ten. Overall, it was a good experience for us.

We're still on-premises with the ability to go hybrid. 

The main deployment of the system or integration was straightforward. It was mainly implemented within two months, however, integration is a continuous process. With every new system or new function, we need to communicate that to the system. It's not possible to just lump everything together into one project. We're always renewing or installing or changing architecture. 

Initial setup isn't easy. It's medium difficulty.

You need between two and five people for deployment.

The deployment itself is somehow complicated and not as easy as Apigee or even WSO2 which are very easy to deploy. We have another issue which is that there are not many developers or engineers working with App Connect here in Saudi Arabia. We require two or three engineers to deploy but it's not easy to find certified people. 

It is easy to set up. HyperV has OVF that you deploy to a VMware ESX Server.

You can install both on the cloud and on-premises.

If you go with a container-based installation, it's more complex than a traditional installation.

We need only one person to deploy this solution.

It is not easy to deploy. It requires someone with a high level of knowledge in the solution to deploy it, not just anyone can do it. 

It was very fast to deploy. It took one day.

Our implementation strategy was focused on CI/CD.

The setup was a little big complicated because I hadn't done it before. But, now we've had Cast Iron for quite a while and we've just purchased IBM App Connect, a new version. We'll be standing that up and I think it'll be simple for us.

I was not involved in the initial setup.

The initial setup was straightforward in regards to the installation of the product, configuration of endpoints, the documentation and available tips.