5 tips to implement the strangler design pattern using MuleSoft APIs for Asian businesses

1. Segment your legacy system for strategic modernization

Tip: Start with a clear analysis of your legacy system, identifying the components that need modernization first. Asian businesses, particularly those in manufacturing, logistics, and retail, often rely on monolithic legacy systems. Begin by focusing on high-impact areas like order processing, customer management, or inventory control, which are core to business operations in fast-paced Asian markets.

For instance, a retail company in Singapore might start by modernizing its order management system to handle e-commerce growth. By segmenting the legacy system, you can introduce new functionalities without disrupting daily operations.

MuleSoft Approach: Use MuleSoft’s System APIs to expose the functionality of legacy systems, creating a clear path for future migration.

2. Leverage process APIs for multi-system integration

Tip: In Asia, businesses often operate across multiple countries, dealing with different systems, suppliers, and regulations. Process APIs can help integrate these disparate systems, enabling seamless data flow between legacy systems and new services.

For example, a logistics company in Japan might need to integrate its legacy system with new microservices that handle real-time shipment tracking and customer notifications. Process APIs help orchestrate these services and provide a unified interface to manage complex workflows.

MuleSoft Approach: Use Process APIs to streamline operations and bridge the gap between old and new systems, ensuring smooth transitions during the migration process.

3. Tailor experience APIs for localized user needs

Tip: One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to user experience in Asia. Local customers in markets like China, India, or Thailand often have different expectations regarding mobile and web app interfaces. Experience APIs allow you to cater to specific user needs by delivering customized data formats and functionalities.

For instance, a financial services company in India could create an Experience API that delivers personalized financial data to mobile users, while the same API can provide different information to its desktop users. By tailoring the experience to local market preferences, you enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

MuleSoft Approach: Create Experience APIs that abstract complexity from backend systems and deliver seamless, localized user experiences across multiple platforms.

4. Gradually redirect traffic from legacy systems

Tip: Asian markets are diverse, with varying levels of technological infrastructure across regions. Whether operating in a tech-forward city like Tokyo or a more rural area of Vietnam, gradual migration is crucial to ensure service continuity. Start by routing small portions of traffic to new services while still relying on the legacy system for other functionalities.

For example, an e-commerce company in Indonesia could initially migrate only the customer support function to a new API, while order fulfillment continues to be handled by the legacy system. Over time, as the new services are tested and optimized, more traffic can be directed to the new APIs.

MuleSoft Approach: Use MuleSoft’s API Gateway to control traffic flow between legacy and new systems. Monitor performance and adjust traffic distribution as needed.

5. Optimize for scalability with continuous deployment

Tip: Rapidly scaling businesses in Asia, especially in industries like e-commerce and fintech, must ensure their APIs can handle increasing workloads. MuleSoft’s support for Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) makes it easy to automate and scale the deployment of new services.

For example, an emerging tech startup in India can integrate MuleSoft with tools like Jenkins and Git to automate its deployment processes. This ensures that as new features are developed, they can be deployed quickly and with minimal risk.

MuleSoft Approach: Implement a robust CI/CD pipeline to automate deployment, ensuring your APIs are scalable and can handle the demands of growing markets across Asia.