CIOInsider India Magazine
QuickBlox: A Robust Communication Platform
Communication is an integral part of the organizational workflow. Rising communication technology investment is driving innovation in communication-specific technologies. While no business can survive without communication, technological breakthroughs are transforming the way enterprises interact today in order to carry out their corporate operations and functions. Inducing digitalization and automation in organizations across their business operations today, Communication Solutions companies are assisting companies in overcoming the challenges levied by Industry 4.0 evolutions and changing business conduct. Quickblox is one such prominent player in this segment that provides an instant messaging API that allows chat and video calling functionality to be added to any Android, iOS, or Web application. The firm is well-positioned in the industry with over 30,000 software developers and organizations worldwide using QuickBlox messaging API. Nate MacLeitch, CEO of Quickblox engages in an exclusive interview with CIO Insider magazine, wherein he walks us through the unique traits of the company.
In conversation with Nate MacLeitch, CEO, Quickblox
Could you define Quickblox's position in the software development space domain?
Quickblox provides a communication backend for apps and websites in the segment of the market referred to as `Communication-Platform-as-a-Service' or CPaaS. With our platform, developers can add real-time instant messaging and video calling to any app, website, or other software. This functionality includes private, public, and group chat, peer-to-peer video calling and video conferencing, file storage, notifications, user management, authentication, and other functions integrated via SDKs, APIs, and code samples. Our software can be deployed in the customer's own cloud infrastructure or even on-premise as a managed service with an SLA. Our product is used across industries but especially in healthcare, finance education, social networking, and e-Commerce. We also offer some ready solutions for embeddable CPaaS communications including a ready web app for teleconsultation.
Tell us about your product portfolio in delivering seamless communication and driving businesses.
We offer a range of feature-rich SDKs, APIs, and sample apps that save developers time and cost. They use our products rather than building chat and video calling functionality from scratch. With
changes in digital communication led by COVID-19 and technological advancement, we are offering more 'readyish' solutions such as code samples, UI kits, and embeddable apps so that companies can integrate new communication functionalities to cover existing use cases faster. For instance, Q-Consultation is our customizable web app providing private video calling, instant messaging, and virtual meeting rooms. It is compatible with any existing software platform. The app is garnering a lot of interest from the healthcare sector, and we have several customers who have sought to incorporate Q-Consultation into their existing EHR platform as a quick and cost-efficient means to enable secure video consultation.
Developers & product owners trust our solutions because we offer transparency & choice
What is the kind of technological framework embedded in your solutions? What makes developers and product owners trust your solutions?
Quickblox has a robust technology foundation. Our realtime messaging is built on top of the XMPP protocol which is time-proven and secure. Our video uses the latest and most reliable WebRTC technology. Data access and integrations are powered by RESTful API. For seamless integration of our functionality into customer applications we offer client-side SDKs for Android, iOS, Web, Flutter, and ReactNative. The Quickblox shared cloud runs on AWS, while our DevOps team uses established technology like Docker, Ansible, Terraform, and Kubernetes to deliver and manage software to any hosting provider for our larger enterprise customers. We can also deploy on-premise.
Developers and product owners trust our solutions because we offer transparency and choice. Moreover, we provide extensive public documentation and code samples to developers and actively engage with their community, utilizing their feedback to ensure a positive integration experience. Any product owner or developer can register a free account and try out our platform with sample apps to ensure that it's the right fit for them.
How do you ensure security, compliance, and support to your clients?
Every line of code in Quickblox has been written with security in mind. We leverage the most recent framework releases, reuse tried-and-true modules, and include fundamental security considerations in every stage of software design and development. We also review and test our software on a regular basis to stay ahead of emerging threats.We're continuously improving our internal processes and security measures to ensure complete platform assurance.
We can also deploy instances of the software in accordance with regulatory standards, ensuring that all data, messages, and user information remain in the environment you control and provide encrypted configurations. Software is HIPAA and GDPR compliant and we work with external auditing organizations to ensure SOC 2 type 1 & 2 certifications. We understand the importance of security with regulated industries making up over 50 percent of our customer base.
What is the future roadmap envisioned for Quickblox? Where is it headed for the next five years?
We will continue to provide and improve upon embeddable realtime communication solutions through SDKs, APIs, code samples, UI kits, and plugin apps. With advancements in AI, chatbots, and other areas of technology we believe communication functionality across digital channels will provide a seamless user experience. We intend to keep ahead of the curve by incorporating new technologies and adapting to new use cases. Our platform is well-positioned to provide companies with the tools they need to build dynamic communication apps that provide end users with an immersive and integrated experience.
