As enterprises shift toward hybrid and multicloud architectures to maximize flexibility, reduce vendor lock-in and meet regulatory demands, they often encounter a familiar trade-off: infrastructure duplication and loss of centralized control.Nowhere is this lack of central control more evident than in API management, where API gateways are not only deployed in multiple locations, such as in multiple clouds, regions and on premises, but the API gateways are also from different vendors.APIs are the lifeblood of digital business. Yet as they proliferate across cloud and on-premises deployments, IT leaders face a mounting challenge: managing API gateway sprawl and enforcing consistent API governance across a fragmented environment.Federated API management can give IT the visibility and control needed to lead in a hybrid world without slowing innovation or enforcing rigid vendor choices.4 Questions You Should Be Asking About Your API LandscapeIf your organization operates in a hybrid or distributed environment, now is the time to assess your API governance strategy. Ask yourself:Can we see all our APIs — across clouds, regions and business units?Are we preventing API gateway sprawl and its negative consequences?Are we identifying and reducing both API sprawl and zombie APIs?Can we ensure API governance without limiting innovation?If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, federated API management might be the solution you need.The Hidden Risk: API Gateway SprawlAPI gateway sprawl is the unchecked growth of API gateways across your enterprise. It’s often confused with API sprawl — the explosion of unmanaged APIs — but in reality, gateway sprawl may be one of the factors leading to API sprawl.Why does gateway sprawl happen?Strategic reasons: Hybrid and multicloud deployments are intentionally distributed to optimize performance, cost and compliance.Operational realities: Gateways are deployed close to data and applications to meet latency and regulatory needs.Organizational complexity: Mergers, acquisitions or independent business units may bring their own API gateways, often from different vendors.Developer freedom: Teams adopt hyperscaler-native gateways for speed and flexibility.The result? A fragmented landscape with multiple gateways, disconnected API governance and limited visibility. This all makes it harder for IT to enforce governance, ensure security and provide visibility in all APIs.The Solution: Federated API ManagementFederated API management, such as is available in webMethods Hybrid Integration, applies similar principles as a federal government: Some responsibilities are centralized, with central control, while other responsibilities are distributed and executed in each constituent part.Federated API management centralizes control by providing visibility of all APIs in the landscape in one single place, while allowing for decentralized API execution on the distributed API gateways.Instead of forcing standardization across all environments, a federated approach embraces diversity in API gateways — public cloud, private cloud, on premises, vendor-native or open source — while providing visibility for consistent API governance.The core component is the API control plane — a centralized “single pane of glass” that connects to all API runtimes and gateways, providing:Discovery of APIs across environmentsPerformance and usage analyticsInventory of runtime environments and APIsThis architecture separates the data plane (where APIs operate) from the control plane (where they’re managed). This model, long used in networking, is now adapted for modern API ecosystems.Key Benefits of Federated API ManagementFederated API management offers organizations:A unified “single pane of glass” for monitoring and managing APIs across the enterprise.No need to replace existing gateways due to support for heterogeneous environments and multiple vendors.Improved API reuse and discoverability, reducing duplicate development.Support for global operations, mergers and decentralized teams while prioritizing compliance and control.What To Look for in a Federated API Management PlatformWhen evaluating solutions, IT leaders should prioritize:An open, pluggable architecture to avoid vendor lock-in. Ensure your platform can interface with third-party API gateways, not just its native stack.Support for heterogeneous environments. Whether you’re using hyperscaler-native services, on-premises platforms or regional cloud providers, the solution must integrate seamlessly across environments.A unified control plane that:Aggregates APIs, policies and key performance indicators (KPIs) across multiple runtimes.Provides a central inventory of active and dormant APIs.Enforces enterprise API governance policies at scale.This visibility addresses redundancy, zombie APIs and API reuse.Possible Use Cases1. Post-Merger Integration Without Costly ReplatformingTwo retailers merge, each with different API management vendors. Replacing either system would be costly and disruptive. A federated control plane would allow both gateways to remain in place, reporting into a unified control layer, enabling centralized management without replatforming.2. Central Oversight of Decentralized Business UnitsIn some organizations, different lines of business (LoBs) choose their own IT tools, including the API management solution. With federated API management, central IT can retain visibility and central API governance while business units gain the flexibility to adopt fit-for-purpose API management.3. Global Enterprises With Distributed OperationsFortune 500 companies often operate across regions with differing regulations. A federated model would support local gateway deployments while providing global oversight of API performance and capacity.Moving From Gateway Chaos To Centralized ControlAs IT leaders architect their enterprise’s future, managing APIs at scale is no longer optional; it’s mission-critical. APIs are how systems talk, how digital products run and how customers interact with your services.A federated model is built to help you:Govern without stifling innovation.Address risk without forcing replatforming.Enable agility while prioritizing control.It’s the balance IT leaders must strike as hybrid and multicloud become the default.Strategic ImperativeAs APIs become the backbone of digital services and agentic AI, IT leaders must move beyond managing isolated environments to governing ecosystems. Federated API management allows you to scale innovation while in an environment that focuses on security, compliance and control — essential in today’s hybrid, distributed and fast-moving enterprise landscape.Explore how IBM can help:Discover IBM webMethods Hybrid Integration.Request a free trial.Schedule a strategy session with IBM experts, including a live demo.The post Why Federated API Management Is Essential for Hybrid Cloud appeared first on The New Stack.