Evolving and Scaling Enterprise Business Applications and Middleware based on Microservices: the SCM Use Case

This thesis provides an in-depth exploration of the evolving landscape of software development within the digital economy, emphasizing the critical role of microservices and API management in enhancing business operations. It centers on the use of microservices architecture and the indispensable function of API gateways in orchestrating service communication, emphasizing their significance in achieving scalability, flexibility, and rapid development. Through the case study of SCM Group, an Italian company specialized in woodworking machinery, this thesis work focuses on the digital services provided by the company through its cloud platform. Specifically, the thesis recounts the author's internship experience at Digital Factory SCM Group department, detailing the practical application of advanced technologies like API management, cloud ecosystems, and agile methodologies. The core objective was to evaluate and implement a replacement for SCM's API gateway, adopting a more modern, actively supported and enterprise-oriented technology, aiming to bolster the company's digital infrastructure. This narrative is structured across seven chapters, each addressing distinct aspects of this transition, from the theoretical underpinnings of microservices to the practical deployment of a new API gateway, culminating in the analysis of the migration's impact on SCM's digital ecosystem and the validation of the new technology's performance.