As enterprises work to adapt to today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, they are finding that legacy integration solutions no longer meet the complex demands of modern connectivity. Slow, inflexible, and heavy on tacit knowledge, these legacy systems are ongoing challenges to any digital transformation initiative. That’s where MuleSoft/Salesforce’s API-led connectivity comes in.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the why, what and how of migrating from legacy integration platforms to MuleSoft, a modern, API-led integration platform.
Why Move Away from Legacy Integration Platforms
Often, there are several pitfalls associated with legacy integration systems — custom-built legacy point-to-point interfaces, ESBs (Enterprise Service Buses) such as WebMethods, IBM WebSphere, TIBCO, on-prem middleware or older Oracle Fusion middleware. A few of them are mentioned below:
- Increased Maintenance Cost: Restoration and renewal have a greater cost in financial and human resources. Each time integration needs to be updated or maintained, it requires deep technical expertise, usually only available when closely linked to niche skill sets or vendors.
- Low Scalability: Making integrations scalable for cloud, mobile, or IOT use cases often involves complex customisations.
- Slow Time to Market: Rigid, tightly coupled systems hamper innovation and the delivery of new features.
- Lack of Real-time Capabilities: Batch-oriented systems don’t allow for real-time analytics, automation, or event-driven architectures.
MuleSoft offers a more modern, modular and scalable approach. It solves for all of these with an API-led connectivity approach, reusable assets, runtime fabric support for cloud-agnostic deployments, and low-code enterprise capabilities.
Benefits of Migrating to MuleSoft
- API-Led Architecture allows for greater flexibility, reusability and agility by decoupling systems, processes and experience APIs.
- Faster Development: Leverage drag and drop feature, pre-built connectors, reusable APIs, and templates to reduce time to deliver.
- Cloud-Ready: Run APIs on-premises, in the AWS or Azure cloud or hybrid cloud with MuleSoft CloudHub. Ready-to-run, seamless integration with Salesforce, SAP, and other industry-leading software
- Improved Governance & Security: Centralised control with policies, monitoring, and role-based access via Anypoint Platform.
- Future-Proof: Built to adapt to changing business and IT environments.
Legacy to MuleSoft Migration Roadmap
Phase 1: Discovery & Assessment
Get a sense of the present integration landscape and purposefully define the desired goals.
Key Development Activities:
- Audit all active integrations, systems, and protocols (FTP, SOAP, etc.)
- Pinpoint current pain points (latency, complexity, maintenance cost)
- Prioritize and categorize integrations by complexity vs business impact
- Establish business drivers for the migration (cloud adoption, API-first, etc.)
- Collaboration on a Migration strategy blueprint
- Identification of migration risk
Outcome: Migration strategy blueprint, risk identification, and scope definition
Phase 2: Design API-Led Architecture
Design your future-state integration around API-led development fundamentals.
Key Development Activities:
- Define System APIs (i.e. legacy infrastructures such as Oracle, SAP)
- Define Process APIs (e.g. customer onboarding, payment processing)
- Define Experience APIs(e.g. mobile application, partner portal)
- Set API governance and API lifecycle management practices
Outcome: Logical and physical architecture diagrams, RAML/OAS-based API specs
Phase 3: Build & Test APIs
Begin development with reusable, scalable, testable APIs
Key Activities
- Create, test, and orchestrate APIs with Anypoint Studio
- Transform and map data with DataWeave
- Develop MUnit tests for every layer of the API
- Publish break changes, notifications, beta versions, and example mock APIs in Anypoint Exchange
Outcome: Future-proofed and validated APIs that can be reused many times over across all experiences.
Phase 4: Migration & Orchestration
Objective: Move from legacy integrations to MuleSoft APIs
Major Activities
- Move high-priority or easy-to-modernize integrations as a priority
- Leverage MuleSoft connectors or adapters for legacy systems
- Have fallback or dual-run strategies for mission-critical systems
- Validate interoperability, performance, reliability, and backward compatibility
Result: Smooth transition from legacy to new APIs with little-to-no user disruption
Phase 5: Operate, Monitor & Optimize
Goal: Make sure APIs are healthy and performing in production while gaining real-time visibility
Key Activities
- Leverage Anypoint Monitoring, Runtime Manager, and Logging
- Enforce rate limits, throttle and policy through API Manager
- Know SLAs, the usage, errors and performance
- Allow self-service, consumption through API marketplaces
Outcome: A scalable, observable, and governed integration ecosystem
Create a Center for Enablement (C4E)
Goal: Enable reuse across the enterprise by creating and consuming standards. Enable and/or promote organizational reuse, organizational standards, and org-wide use of DevOps.
Key Activities & Selected Outputs
- Put in place clear roles for API product owners, platform leads, and enterprise architects
- Build common playbooks, best practice CI/CD pipelines, and other shared resources
- Run enablement/integrator programs, not just developer or API evangelism
Result: Commercial, lasting API strategy with enterprise-wide adoption
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Big Bang Migration: Always go modular and incremental — migrate your high-value integrations, small projects and prove ROI
- Neglecting Change Management: Train your teams early and consistently, and get business stakeholders involved. Establish a Center for Enablement (C4E)
- No API Governance: Without some sort of guidelines or rules, you’re going to find yourself back at siloed APIs and fragmented present APIs. A well-governed API ecosystem ensures long-term success.
- Create an API inventory catalog in Anypoint Exchange for ease of discovery, reuse, and sharing — internal and external
Practical Case Studies from Every Sector
Retail Sector
Case: Global Retailer
- A global retail company migrated from TIBCO to MuleSoft:
- Unified 80% of APIs between mobile and e-commerce platforms
- Cut integration delivery time by 40%
- Decreased total cost of ownership by 60%
- Real-time inventory updates for customer visibility
They started with their product catalog and order APIs — ensuring rapid wins — then expanded to loyalty programs and a logistics system. By implementing an API-led approach, they accelerated their e-commerce transformation and improved customer experience.
To read more about our retail solutions click here.
Banking Sector — Digital Banking Transformation
Case: Global Bank with Legacy Mainframe Systems
- A multinational bank was struggling to modernize its online banking and mobile app due to tight coupling with mainframe systems (COBOL-based). The institution used MuleSoft to create System APIs over its legacy core and expose Experience APIs to mobile and web apps.
Results:
- Reduced mobile app release cycle from quarterly to bi-weekly
- Enabled real-time customer notifications for transactions and fraud alerts
- Improved regulatory compliance through centralized API governance
- Accelerated Open Banking Compliance (PSD2) by 60% using API-led architecture
To read more about our open banking solutions click here.
Financial Services — Investment Platform Modernization
Case: Wealth Management Firm
A leading investment platform was using custom batch jobs and manual reconciliations between CRM, trading, and reporting platforms. They implemented MuleSoft to automate trade execution flows and portfolio updates.
Results:
- 70% improvement in data synchronization between front office and back office
- Reduced trade settlement delays and manual errors
- Introduced new digital client onboarding process integrated with KYC systems
- Enabled unified dashboards for portfolio performance via real-time APIs
To read more about our open finance solutions click here.
Educational Sector — Student Lifecycle Integration
Case: Large Public University
A university with siloed systems — SIS (Student Information System), LMS (Learning Management System), HR, and finance — used MuleSoft to orchestrate and expose services via APIs across departments.
Results:
- Integrated student registration, payment, and grade reporting in one experience
- Created a unified mobile app for students and faculty
- Automated alerts and reminders (e.g., fees due, course registration)
- Enabled faster integration with EdTech platforms like Canvas and Blackboard
To read more about our education solutions click here.
Healthcare Sector — Patient Data Unification
Case: Regional Hospital Network
A healthcare network operating multiple hospitals needed to unify EHR (Electronic Health Records), billing, and insurance data across systems like Epic, Cerner, and Oracle.
Using MuleSoft, they built reusable APIs to connect disparate systems and ensure HIPAA compliance.
Results:
- Delivered real-time access to patient records across departments
- Enabled secure data exchange with insurance providers
- Reduced redundant testing and administrative overhead
To read more about our healthcare solutions click here.
Manufacturing — Smart Factory Enablement
Use Case:
A manufacturing enterprise aims to modernize its production floor with IoT sensors, ERP (like SAP), and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems).
How MuleSoft Helps:
- Connects sensors and machines with centralized monitoring systems via APIs
- Enables real-time production line visibility and predictive maintenance
- Integrates quality control systems and supply chain platforms
- Allows external suppliers to plug into the ecosystem securely
Results:
Optimized operations, lower downtime, and improved throughput.
To read more about our manufacturing solutions click here.
Media & Entertainment — Content Distribution and Subscription Management
Use Case:
A streaming company wants to automate subscription services, manage content licensing, and deliver personalized recommendations.
How MuleSoft Helps:
- APIs manage user subscriptions, payments, and access controls
- Integrates recommendation engines, content metadata, and licensing platforms
- Supports multiple devices (TV, mobile, tablet) via Experience APIs
- Centralizes analytics on content performance and user behavior
Outcome:
Streamlined operations, reduced churn, and enhanced viewer experience.
Click here to read about Media Cloud.
Pharmaceuticals — Drug Development and Regulatory Compliance
Use Case:
A pharma company needs to integrate clinical trial systems, regulatory submission tools, and lab information systems across regions.
How MuleSoft Helps:
- APIs facilitate secure, real-time data exchange across clinical trial partners
- Ensures traceability for regulatory audits (FDA, EMA, etc.)
- Integrates lab results and analytics platforms
- Enables faster decision-making in R&D
Outcome:
Accelerated drug development, improved compliance, and lower operational friction.
To read more about our life-sciences solutions click here.
Government/Public Sector — Citizen Services Modernization
Use Case:
A government agency is working to modernize its public-facing portals (e.g., licensing, benefits, permits) and backend systems (e.g., tax, identity management).
How MuleSoft Helps:
- APIs unify siloed systems like DMV, taxation, and public records
- Enables mobile apps and digital self-service portals
- Supports secure integration with national ID databases or third-party vendors
- Enhances inter-agency collaboration and data sharing
Outcome:
Better service delivery, lower wait times, and higher public satisfaction.
Read more here how government agencies rely on MuleSoft.
Conclusion
The time for legacy integration systems is gone, and in order to meet the demands of the digital world organizations now face, they require scalable, flexible, and API-first integration platforms. MuleSoft offers you a game-changing arsenal to begin your enterprise integration, data silo-unlocking, true business agility journey.
If you’re looking for a successful migration, begin with a pilot project, establish your Center for Enablement (C4E), and allow MuleSoft to revolutionize your integration landscape.