Azure API Management: Security, Governance, and the Future of APIs

This episode of “Azure on Air” with Mike Budzynski, Senior Product Manager for Azure API Management at Microsoft, discusses the latest developments and best practices in APIM.

The Evolution of API Management Models

Budzynski highlighted three primary models of API management that organizations have adopted:

• Centralized Model: A single API management service for the entire organization.
• Siloed Model: Each team has its own API management service.
• Federated Model: A hybrid approach combining the benefits of both centralized and siloed models.

The federated model, implemented through Azure API Management’s new “workspaces” feature, aims to provide the best of both worlds. It offers team autonomy while maintaining centralized governance and unified API discovery.

Workspaces: A Game-Changer for API Governance

Workspaces, soon to be generally available, it allows organizations to:

• Segregate control plan and API runtime
• Provide dedicated gateways per team
• Implement process isolation between teams
• Maintain unified governance and monitoring

This approach addresses common issues such as resource conflicts and the challenge of maintaining a large fleet of API management services.

API Security: A Layered Approach

API security remains a top priority for organizations. Budzynski emphasized the importance of a layered approach to security, including:

• Network security (VNets, Application Gateway)
• Policy-based security (IP filtering, authentication)
• Microsoft Defender for APIs

Microsoft Defender for APIs provides advanced security features such as:

• Unified security overview across API management services
• API security posture analysis
• Detection of dormant or unauthenticated APIs
• Data classification to identify sensitive information exposure

API Center: Bridging the Gap

For organizations with multiple API management platforms or APIs outside of Azure, API Center offers a solution for centralized inventory and governance. It allows companies to:

• Manage APIs across different lifecycle stages
• Create a central inventory for APIs from various sources
• Govern APIs that may not have runtime yet

Looking to the Future of APIM

As API management continues to evolve, Budzynski hinted at several exciting developments on the horizon:

• Integration with generative AI services
• Support for gRPC protocol
• A new gateway offering for cloud-native solutions
• Enhanced security and governance features

As APIs continue to play a central role in digital transformation, Azure API Management is evolving to meet the complex needs of modern organizations. By focusing on flexible governance models, robust security, and innovative features, Microsoft is empowering businesses to manage their APIs more effectively and securely.