Why the lock-in is often deeper than the legacy problem
Point-to-point integrations, however messy, are usually built on standard protocols and portable code. A proprietary iPaaS workflow engine's logic is frequently expressed in a vendor-specific format that doesn't export cleanly to anything else — migrating away means effectively rebuilding every workflow from scratch, in a different paradigm.
This is the same dynamic covered in our strategy pillar's look at vendor lock-in generally, applied specifically to the integration layer, where the switching cost compounds with every new workflow added.
What to check before committing
Ask specifically how workflow logic exports, whether it's in a portable, documented format or a proprietary black box, and model the cost of rebuilding your most complex current workflow on a different platform before, not after, you've built a hundred more like it on the one you're evaluating.
An iPaaS platform solves point-to-point sprawl by introducing a different, often deeper, kind of lock-in. Ask about the exit before you ask about the onboarding.MNB Integration Practice
Key actions
- Ask how workflow logic exports before signing an iPaaS contract
- Model the rebuild cost of your most complex current workflow on an alternative platform
- Prefer platforms using portable, documented workflow formats where possible
- Revisit lock-in exposure as workflow count grows, not just at initial adoption