API Gateway

Helix API Gateway

The Helix Gateway is the runtime environment for managing, securing, and routing APIs.

Key Features

• Secure Traffic Management: OAuth2, JWT validation, rate-limiting, and IP filtering.

• Analytics: Real-time traffic monitoring, SLA tracking, error rate analysis.

• Policy Management: Apply reusable policies across APIs and environments.

• High Availability: Primary/secondary data center deployment with automatic failover.

API Deployer

Helix API Deployer allows seamless deployment of APIs to multiple environments.

Key Features

• Multi-Environment Support: Deploy to dev, test, staging, and production.

• Automated Versioning: Helix manages versions and rollback options.

• CI/CD Integration: Connect with GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab pipelines.

The API Deployer is a guided workflow within the Helix API Gateway that streamlines the process of creating, configuring, and deploying APIs. This step-by-step wizard ensures consistent configurations, enforces governance policies, and deploys APIs with optimized settings—all within a unified interface.

Overview

The API Deployer transforms complex API deployment processes into a streamlined, repeatable workflow:

• Rapid Deployment: Create and deploy fully configured APIs in minutes instead of hours or days

• Consistent Configurations: Ensure all APIs follow standardized settings and best practices across your organization

• Governance Enforcement: Automatically validate APIs against organizational policies before they reach production

• Integrated Documentation: Attach and manage API documentation as part of the deployment workflow

• Reduced Human Error: Guided steps and validation checks minimize configuration mistakes and oversights

Deployment Workflow

The API Deployer guides you through a comprehensive, sequential process to ensure no critical configuration is overlooked:

1. Create API

Define the foundational identity and metadata for your API

• API Name: Unique internal identifier for system reference

• Display Name: User-friendly name displayed in developer portals

• Version: Semantic versioning for proper lifecycle management

• Business Area: Organizational categorization for governance and reporting

• Tags: Key-value pairs for search, filtering, and automation

2. API Specification

Establish the technical contract and interface definition

• OpenAPI Specification: Upload OAS3-compliant API contracts (required for gateway deployment)

• Validation: Automatic syntax and compliance checking

• Endpoint Discovery: Auto-population of available operations and parameters

• Schema Enforcement: Ensure consistency with organizational data standards

3. Deployment Configuration

Define where and how your API will be deployed

• Target Environment: Select development, staging, or production environments

• Gateway Connections: Choose specific gateway instances for deployment

• Regional Deployment: Configure geographic distribution for global availability

• Scaling Preferences: Set initial capacity and auto-scaling parameters

4. Traffic Management

Implement controls for API consumption and performance

• Rate Limiting: Define requests per second/minute/hour thresholds

• Quota Management: Set usage limits per consumer or application

• Throttling Rules: Configure burst capacity and graceful degradation

• Concurrent Connections: Limit simultaneous connections to protect backend systems

5. Security Policies

Apply comprehensive protection for your API and data

• Authentication Methods: Configure API keys, OAuth 2.0, JWT, or mutual TLS

• Authorization Rules: Define role-based access controls and permissions

• IP Whitelisting: Restrict access to specific networks or geographic regions

• Encryption Requirements: Enforce TLS versions and cipher suites

6. CORS Configuration

Manage cross-origin resource sharing for web applications

• Allowed Origins: Specify domains permitted to access the API from browsers

• HTTP Methods: Define which operations (GET, POST, PUT, etc.) are allowed

• Headers Configuration: Control which request and response headers are permitted

• Credential Handling: Manage cookie and authentication credential inclusion

7. Request Transformation

Modify requests and responses between clients and backend services

• Header Manipulation: Add, remove, or modify HTTP headers

• Payload Transformation: Convert between JSON, XML, or other formats

• Parameter Mapping: Rename, add, or remove query and path parameters

• Content Routing: Direct requests to different backend services based on content

8. Review & Deploy

Final validation and deployment execution

• Configuration Summary: Comprehensive review of all settings

• Policy Compliance Check: Validation against organizational governance rules

• Impact Analysis: Assessment of potential effects on existing systems

• One-Click Deployment: Execute deployment across all configured environments

9. Completion & Verification

Post-deployment confirmation and access provision

• Deployment Status: Real-time monitoring of deployment progress

• Health Checks: Automatic validation of API availability and functionality

• Endpoint URLs: Distribution of production-ready API endpoints

• Access Credentials: Provision of API keys or authentication tokens for consumers

Documentation Management

Integrate comprehensive documentation directly into your deployment process:

Upload Options

• Drag & Drop: Simply drag documentation files into the designated upload area

• Browse File: Select files from your local system using the file browser

Requirements

• Accepted Format: .zip archives containing all documentation assets

• Maximum Size: 10 MB per documentation package

• Recommended Content: API guides, tutorials, code samples, and troubleshooting information

Automatic Distribution

• Developer Portal Integration: Documentation automatically published to designated portals

• Version Synchronization: Documentation versions aligned with API versions

• Search Optimization: Content indexed for full-text search across developer portals

Example Deployment Scenarios

Rapid Internal API Launch

• Deploy a new microservice API with standardized security and monitoring in under 10 minutes

• Ensure compliance with internal governance policies automatically

• Provide immediate access to development teams with complete documentation

External Partner API

• Configure secure, rate-limited APIs for partner consumption with appropriate documentation

• Implement comprehensive security policies and access controls

• Establish clear usage limits and monitoring for partner billing

Legacy API Modernization

• Wrap legacy systems with modern API interfaces while maintaining existing functionality

• Apply contemporary security standards to older systems

• Provide modern documentation and developer experience for legacy capabilities

The API Deployer eliminates the complexity and inconsistency of manual API deployments, enabling organizations to scale their API programs while maintaining high standards of quality, security, and governance.

API Federator

Helix’s API Federator enables your organization to break down API silos and create a cohesive API landscape:

• Unified API Access: Create a single entry point for all APIs, whether they reside in different cloud providers, on-premises systems, or various gateway technologies

• Automated Federation: Automatically discover and integrate APIs from across teams, business units, and technology stacks

• Consistent Governance: Apply uniform security, compliance, and operational policies across your entire API ecosystem

• Simplified Consumption: Provide developers with a consistent, unified API experience while maintaining decentralized ownership and development