ILAB BUILDS API TO EXTEND COMPLEX WORKFLOWS IN RESEARCH

iLab core facility management software has rolled out an application programming interface (API) which enables customers to seamlessly integrate outside applications with iLab’s billing and reporting services.

“The research cores and institutions we partner with provide a wide array of services and have complex workflows,” Chief Software Architect, Andreas Hagen. “It would be arrogant for us to believe we can imagine and support every detail of every possible workflow for every possible customer. Building an API allows cores to extend these complex workflows into a well-defined financial and billing process.”

iLab’s API represents a progressive move for the company whose mission is to provide innovative and effective solutions to support research. The API allows forward thinking groups to build their own applications or leverage outputs from other applications to seamlessly push charges and update payment information based on activities in the core.

Using the latest technologies and software engineering practices, iLab’s API leverages a RESTFUL application architecture, Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State (HATEOAS) and OpenAuth2 for secure access.

A test application that authenticates against the API and performs basic retrieval and update actions is available as an educational resource for current and prospective iLab customers as well as developers of complementary hardware and software tools. Those interested in working with the API should contact their iLab Project Manager or Implementation Associate for additional details, including obtaining an authentication token.

“In the future,” Hagen added, “We imagine forums where our customers will be able to share applications and details on how they are creatively interacting with iLab through the API.”