Pro & Cons for an Integration via API vs. E-Mail

[Guenny]

Hi All,

i am looking for some perspective over the pro & cons of an API Integration with 3rd Party Systems and Service Now vs. for e.g. an E-Mail Interface.

Our Goal is to hand over Incidents, Incident Tasks, Catalog Tasks - maybe something more in the future. 

At the moment an E-Mail Interface is in place for one provider. Another one will only go with an API. 

I expect the modern way is an API but I am looking for some Key Pro for the API vs. E-Mail for this need.

Can someone point me in the rigth direction? Is there a ressource to read somewhere?

Rgds
Sebastian 

[Tony Chatfield1]

Hi, I would see the core issues with email as

• Email is not a guaranteed delivery mechanism.
• Email can be subject to significant delay.
• Email does not provide a real-time response as to success of the transaction.
• Emails are more likely to arrive out of sequence and you have limited options for reconciling this during processing.

Email can be used as a basic method of updating data between platforms,
but I would not call it an 'integration' and would recommend you avoid email unless you have no other option.

[Guenny]

Hi Tony,

thanks for your input. The last days i had some additional thougths about this topic. What is your opinion with regards to Security if you look on e-mail vs. API.

Rgds

Sebastian