When you consider APIs and API Management, one way of looking at APIs is that it's ultimately all about the data. The API can be seen as a conduit for data. Managing the API means managing access to that data.

This is especially important for Data-as-a-Service (DaaS). The point was eloquently put by Kamron Abtahi, DaaS Engineer at Dun and Bradstreet (D&B), when he spoke at the Axway API Workshop in Boston last November about how APIs allow D&B to liberate their data. Here is Kamron in action at the API Workshop event, explaining all of the benefits of the D&B Direct API:

In a blog post on the same topic, Lisa Petrucci from Dun and Bradstreet explains:

"Any organization that’s accustomed to receiving a batch file of D&B commercial or contact data can now write to our API, effectively creating a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) content feed that can be connected to any on-premise application. With cleaner data flowing through enterprise systems, it’s easier to turn prospects into customers, and grow those accounts."
http://www.dnbpartner.com/dnb-direct-api/

This "content feed" is a very efficient way to liberate data, especially when compared to the older batch method.

Liberating data through APIs is a strong meme now. The tagline of APIDays Sydney next month is "Liberate then Innovate". This is exactly what Dun and Bradstreet are doing - liberating their data so that they, and others, can innovate on top of it. I'm looking forward to more and more focus on the Data-as-a-Service API pattern over the coming year.