In our latest ClearPoint Unlock podcast, Jaco Saunderson, General Manager for Platform Engineering at ClearPoint, and Matt Moore, VP for Channel at SnapLogic, dive into integration and the strategic role it plays in modern businesses particularly with the support of systems such as SnapLogic. While integration often gets simplified as moving data from one place to another, the two experts explore its deeper significance, emphasising how it can unlock the true value of data and optimise business processes when done right.
Integration as a strategic asset
Integration has evolved far beyond simply moving data between systems. Today, it serves as a strategic capability that enables organisations to streamline operations, automate processes, and extract valuable insights from previously siloed data. As businesses face increasing pressure to digitise and automate, the ability to connect and orchestrate data flows effectively has become critical for maintaining competitive advantage.
"Integration is much more than moving data from one place to another," explains Jaco. "When done right, it's a strategic asset that makes organisations faster and enables them to optimise and automate business processes."
Matt adds to this, stating, “Integration has been done poorly by so many different products in the past, but the advantage SnapLogic brings is that we can get to the answer faster and with much lower effort.”
SnapLogic’s platform manages structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data, bringing it into an appropriate endpoint with an intuitive, low-code/no-code system. The company’s AI-driven capabilities make the integration process even more seamless, a clear differentiator in a crowded market.
Watch or listen to our latest ClearPoint Unlock podcast with SnapLogic about the recent insights on data integration.
The role of AI in integration
Artificial Intelligence, particularly generative AI, is transforming how organisations approach integration. By leveraging AI capabilities, businesses can:
- Simplify complex data handling processes
- Enable non-technical users to interact with data more effectively
- Automate routine tasks and workflows
- Reduce the time and effort required for integration projects
AI is a key focus for both ClearPoint and SnapLogic, and Matt explains how SnapLogic makes data handling easier for users, allowing even those with limited technical expertise to interact with data without writing complex code. “Generative AI was a natural progression for us,” says Matt. “We wanted to get to a point where a normal user can access the data they need in a way that doesn’t require them to know code".
SnapLogic's natural evolution into more comprehensive Generative AI capabilities brings greater intelligence and efficiency to integration – meaning users can quickly get to the answers they need, without compromising on the quality of what they're doing.
"We can get to an answer in hours. That's where everyone wants to get to. Let's not waste weeks, let's do it in hours or days," says Matt.
Overcoming technical debt with SnapLogic
One of the most persistent challenges organisations face is managing technical debt while trying to modernise their systems. As businesses evolve, they accumulate layers of outdated technology that slow down operations. Many organisations struggle with:
- Multiple disconnected systems requiring constant maintenance
- Complex coding requirements for basic integrations
- Difficulties upgrading legacy systems without disrupting operations
- Time-consuming manual processes that could be automated
Partners such as SnapLogic tackle this issue by providing over 800 pre-built connectors for APIs, data, and other systems. The goal is to streamline and future-proof processes, ensuring that businesses don’t have to rewrite code every time a system is upgraded.
“Without solutions like SnapLogic, businesses would need to throw hundreds of people at coding challenges, and we know how well that works—it doesn’t. With our platform, you can tweak one small thing and get to the answer,” says Matt.
Building a strategic platform
The ultimate goal is to build a strategic integration platform that is agile and scalable. It is important to create reusable components, or “lego blocks,” that allow for flexibility and growth without disrupting existing systems. Jaco notes, “If you do integration right, you’re creating reusable Lego blocks. You can change what sits behind them without the rest of the system even noticing.”
Overall this process involves:
- Creating a clear target state architecture
- Implementing solutions in manageable phases
- Focusing on delivering measurable business value
- Ensuring flexibility to adapt to changing business needs
- Building reusable components that can evolve with the organisation
At its core, SnapLogic is a strategic integration platform, an IPaaS, that brings everything into a clear, single view.
“Where you would normally have lots of different products, we run a single platform. It’s designed from the ground up to be streaming, it handles all the things you’d expect, and with the generative aspect on top, it’s a compelling argument for reducing cost, reducing risk, and increasing revenue,” he says.
The future of integration
As businesses continue to focus on digital transformation, the role of integration platforms like SnapLogic will play an increasingly vital role. The focus is shifting towards resilient, flexible systems that can adapt to the evolving needs of businesses, all while keeping costs down and driving value.
"The future of integration is about simplification and acceleration," Matt reflects. "It's about getting to solutions faster, while reducing risk and operational complexity."
Ultimately the path to successful digital transformation requires a strategic approach to integration that balances immediate business needs with long-term scalability. By focusing on creating reusable components, leveraging modern technologies like AI, and maintaining a clear vision of the target architecture, organisations can build integration capabilities that drive genuine business value.
The partnership between ClearPoint and SnapLogic promises to bring these capabilities to more organisations, helping to build integration strategies that don’t just meet current needs but also future-proof their operations.
In Jaco’s words, “We’re excited to go to market with SnapLogic. Together, we’re delivering solutions that simplify environments and accelerate transformation for our clients.” Contact us to find out more.
