FTP to MFT: Secure and efficient file transfers in the age of IT complexity
The increasing interconnectedness of systems and the growing volume of sensitive data transferred daily have exposed the limitations of traditional file transfer protocols like FTP.
Explore the transition from FTP to managed file transfer (MFT) solutions and the benefits of MFT for building best practices for secure and efficient data exchanges as your organization evolves.
The limitations of FTP in modern IT environments
While FTP has served businesses for decades, it’s now widely recognized as inadequate for meeting the data security and efficiency needs of modern enterprises. This simple method for moving files can’t keep up with the intricate needs of large organizations in various industries that are forced to adapt to today’s global markets and digital ways of conducting business.
FTP lacks encryption, leaving data vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access during transit. Its limited authentication mechanisms fail to provide the robust security necessary to protect sensitive information in an era of sophisticated cyber threats.
The protocol’s inability to handle large file sizes efficiently and its lack of integration with modern IT systems make it a common bottleneck in digital operations. As your business scales, the inefficiencies of FTP become more pronounced and can lead to delayed processes, increased operational costs and heightened security risks.
How other file transfer protocols fall short
FTP isn’t the only option, of course. Many businesses rely on secure file transfer protocol (SFTP), FTP Secure (FTPS) and HTTPS.
SFTP, built on the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, offers a significant improvement over traditional FTP. It encrypts both the data being transferred and the commands sent between the client and server. While it adds a layer of security over traditional FTP, SFTP is challenging to manage in complex IT environments, particularly when handling large volumes of data or integrating with other systems.
File transfer protocol secure (FTPS), another upgrade over FTP, uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure data during transfer. Like SFTP, FTPS enhances security by encrypting the file transfer process, but it also shares similar challenges in terms of scalability, integration and management in large-scale environments.
Both SFTP and FTPS lack the centralized management, automation and comprehensive visibility that are essential for maintaining adequate security and compliance.
HTTPS, commonly used for secure web communication, is sometimes employed for file transfers as well. While HTTPS provides strong encryption, it’s not specifically designed for large-scale file transfers and lacks the specialized features businesses require for managing and automating complex data exchanges.
Why transition to MFT?
It’s clear that the shift from FTP (the most limited method) to MFT (the most robust protocol) is non-negotiable for those engaged in many file transfers across departments and with third parties — especially in a highly regulated industry.
MFT solutions address the shortcomings of FTP and the other protocols because they offer security, automation and visibility features that are non-negotiable in today’s IT ecosystems.
Security and compliance
One of the most compelling reasons to transition to MFT is the increased security it provides. Industry-standard encryption methods such as AS2 for data at rest and SSL/TLS for data in motion are built in, giving you the peace of mind that your sensitive information will stay protected throughout the entire transfer process. MFT solutions offer additional authentication methods like multi-factor authentication (MFA).
MFT also wins when it comes to compliance. With comprehensive audit trails and detailed reporting, MFT tools make it easier to meet regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and GDPR. The insights they provide can also help you improve your security policies over time.
Efficiency and automation
MFT consolidates your file transfer activities into a single, centralized platform. Features like no-code/low-code automation, triggers and pre-built templates make it easy to configure and schedule file transfers so you can streamline operations and reduce errors. Increasing the speed and reliability of your file transfers can help you maintain strong relationships with third parties, too.
Visibility and control
The same centralization that makes your transfers more efficient also makes them easier to track and manage. Monitoring and logging your file transfer activities allows your IT team to identify potential issues before they escalate, make adjustments to optimize performance, and ensure all data exchanges comply with internal policies and external regulations.
Increased visibility also means more informed decision-making for IT leadership.
Impacts: MFT drives change for Dell
Stories of businesses achieving greater efficiency and confidence in handling increasing volumes of file transfers happen every day.
One example is Dell EMC’s experience of transitioning to JSCAPE MFT Server by Redwood. The company relied on disparate, open-source file transfer applications for exchanging data with their customers and trading partners. Completing 170,000 file transfers per week overwhelmed its team. JSCAPE offered a single secure solution that offered ease of administration, visibility and high availability while integrating with their existing account provisioning solution.
The future of secure file transfers
If you haven’t felt tremendous negative effects of outdated file transfer protocols yet, you’re bound to in the near future. Secure, efficient and compliant data transfer is only going to become more critical. To future-proof your IT environment, adopting MFT is a strategic move that will pay significant dividends.
The powerful combination of an end-to-end workload automation solution like RunMyJobs by Redwood and a reliable MFT solution like JSCAPE by Redwood can drive efficient, automated and secure processes across your entire enterprise — for file transfers and beyond.
Book a demo to see how JSCAPE’s security features can expand the vast workload automation features of RunMyJobs and strengthen your file transfer practices.
About The Author
Charles Crouchman
Having served as CTO or CPO of five software companies in 25 years, Charles is an experienced technology executive. He has driven results in all stages of company evolution, from early-stage, venture-backed startup to mid-stage expansion to F500 global execution.
His expertise in selling enterprise software to corporate IT in infrastructure management, automation and machine learning has developed the unique perspective he brings to his role as Redwood’s Chief Product Officer. Here, Charles will further expand his track record of creating winning strategies for delivering breakthrough products with high-performance product management and engineering teams in the process of scaling.
Before joining the Redwood team, Charles was CPO and CTO at Turbonomic, which evolved into a role as Head of Strategy for IT Automation when IBM acquired the company. He also held executive roles at Opalis (acquired by Microsoft) and Cybermation (acquired by CA). These experiences and his strong vision of an automation-first future make Charles poised to uphold Redwood’s mission of delivering lights-out automation solutions.
Charles lives in Toronto, Canada, and is a proud father of four and an avid reader and hiker. He holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo.
