An API gateway is a server that acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking to access backend services in a Non-Human Identity Management system.
Description
In the context of Non-Human Identity Management, API gateways play a crucial role in managing the communication between clients, such as IoT devices or automated systems, and backend services that handle identity verification, authentication, and authorization. The API gateway serves as a single entry point for all requests, simplifying the interaction and providing a unified interface for clients. It can perform various functions, including request routing, load balancing, caching, and security enforcement. By managing these interactions, API gateways help to reduce the complexity of the system and improve performance. Additionally, they can enforce policies such as rate limiting, access control, and logging, ensuring that non-human identities are managed securely. This is particularly important in environments where many devices or services need to authenticate and interact with each other, as it helps maintain security and efficiency in the identity management process.
Examples
- Kong: An open-source API gateway that provides various plugins for authentication and traffic management.
- AWS API Gateway: A fully managed service by Amazon that makes it easy to create, publish, maintain, monitor, and secure APIs.
Additional Information
- API gateways can support various protocols, including REST, GraphQL, and WebSocket.
- They often integrate with microservices architecture, enabling scalable and flexible identity management solutions.