Top Five Reasons To Use FME For Cloud Integration

The complexities of data integration are all too familiar to architects, engineers and CIOs. But this complexity can be significantly reduced by using an enterprise integration platform.

FME Server has long been the platform of choice for asset managing organisations with high volumes of complex data. But in recent years an increasing number of users have opted for the cloud-based version of FME: the appropriately named FME Cloud. But is this the right option for you?

There are a lot of reasons why your answer might be yes… and in this article we’ll bring together our top five.

No matter whether you already use FME Server or you’re looking to employ FME for the very first time, here are a few of the most compelling reasons to utilise FME Cloud.

1. Save serious time

FME Cloud facilitates ultra-fast deployment of FME Server. It comes fully configured and allows you to start your instance, connect to the FME Server app and publish your integrations in literal minutes. FME Cloud is fully hosted – it takes care of the hardware and software configuration, so you won’t be spending time or money purchasing and setting up hardware or virtual servers.

This makes FME Cloud incredible for the rapid deployment of pilots and proof of concepts, where you don’t have much time, or don’t want to spend much time, on the configuration of your environment.

2. Pay for what you need and scale alongside your business

Instead of having to purchase hardware and licences outright, businesses can enjoy FME Cloud via an affordable monthly subscription. And this model doesn’t just save you money in the short term – you can also save real cash in the long run, as you don’t need to pay for upgrades to outdated infrastructure or software.

Subscription software like FME Cloud also ensures your business is always armed with the latest and greatest version of the tool, enjoying the innovative technology and security updates without the large initial investment that would otherwise be required. And freed from the stress of server management, you can direct your business’s energies toward building integrations.

The flexibility of this model frees you to optimise the virtual processing power and storage that you need to run your service. FME Cloud subscriptions come in four tiers: Standard, Professional, Premium and Enterprise. Many new users begin with the Standard instance then scale up as and when they need.

Does your service require more RAM? Double it by upgrading to the Professional tier. Need more cores or disc space? Increase either in a matter of clicks and pay as you go. There’s also no need to licence additional engines, as all FME Cloud instances include an unlimited number.

3. Enjoy high-end security

FME Cloud is the most stable and secure implementation of FME Server because Safe Software, the creators of FME, have spent years iterating the solution and collaborating with the core FME Server product development team to make it so.

Just as the name suggests, Safe Software considers data security its highest priority. FME Cloud is built on Amazon Web Services, which creates yet another line of defence: in addition to Safe Software’s ongoing security efforts, FME Cloud enjoys the peace of mind that comes from the market-leading compliance and security standards of AWS. You can learn more about this in the FME Cloud Security Whitepaper.

FME Cloud makes it easy to upgrade to new versions of FME Server and the underlying services, so you can quickly and easily deploy patches, bug fixes and security updates.

4. Best practice FME server monitoring and alerting

FME Cloud comes complete with automated monitoring. This provides real-time alerts when any performance metrics sit outside predefined thresholds and allows administrators to instantly take corrective action.

This can help to ensure FME Server is running smoothly and can prevent downtime or other issues caused by slow performance or lack of resources. Cloud FME server monitoring and alerting can also provide valuable insight into how servers are being used, which can help users optimise server performance and plan upgrades.

5. Manage less, capitalise more

FME Cloud makes deploying FME Server more secure and scalable. Seamless’s FME Cloud Enterprise Subscription takes this even further with:

• Local technical support: Our team of certified FME experts are on call, ready to respond to any issues that arise.
• Technical advice: Our dedicated technical advisor provides monthly consulting meetings to update you on how your FME Server is performing and how we can improve it.
• Managing upgrades: We look after your FME Server upgrades, ensuring that you are always on the latest, most stable and secure version of FME Server and any underlying services.
• Proactive monitoring: We are experts at proactively monitoring FME Cloud and responding to alerts. We know that prevention beats cure, so we constantly look at things that could go wrong and work to resolve them before they become an issue. 
• Maximum uptime: We are always there to ensure your FME workflows are up and running. We give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your critical integrations are not just running, but doing so smoothly and efficiently.

In short, at Seamless we ensure your FME Cloud instance is up to date, optimised and available. We take the heavy load of admin and busywork from the shoulders of your team, allowing them to trade mundane, low value tasks with the exciting, high value work that they’re employed to do: building integrations, automating processes and generally adding value to your organisation.

To find out if FME Cloud is right for you, contact our friendly team today!