Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Reviews

Vendor: IBM

4.0 out of 5

11 reviews
72% willing to recommend

450 followers

What is Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct?

IBM's Sterling Connect:Direct is a software product that offers security-hardened, point-to-point file transfers to reduce reliance on insecure File Transfer Protocol (FTP) transmissions. It is designed for high-volume file distribution within and between businesses. The solution guarantees more reliable file movement, from batch integration and movement of large images or catalogs to synchronization with distant sites. Sterling Connect:Direct also enables hybrid cloud deployment through certified containers, allowing for simple and consistent deployment lifecycle management.

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Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is the #8 ranked solution in top Managed File Transfer (MFT) solutions. PeerSpot users give Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is most commonly compared to Control-M: Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs Control-M. Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 71% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 42% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

June 2025

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Featured Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct reviews

Sumit Mundik

Application Development Senior Analyst at Accenture

The initial setup of the solution is not straightforward because it's not GUI-based. If you are installing the solution on a UNIX server, you should have a basic understanding of UNIX. You should know how to go from one directory to another, what the config files are, how to edit those files, and how to get the backup of those files. You need a little technical knowledge for it. The developers working on the solution are very costly for the organization. Also, the complexity of having this kind of setup is very difficult. This solution is only used by giant financial companies like BNY Mellon, Barclays, and JPMorgan Chase. They cannot replace the solution because they have several files transferred internally using it. It is very difficult and cost-consuming for them to change, migrate, or upgrade their system. That's the reason they are not able to do it very easily.

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Caio Nascimento

Senior Consultant at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

The package that IBM delivers does not come with many premade tools or templates. This means we have to create a lot of things by ourselves, which requires more work. We have a team of four to five people just to develop map-based programs. Additionally, the initial setup could be simpler and better.

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Ankit Rahangdale

Infrastructure Tech Lead at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

The setup depends on the requirement. In the current environment or current project, we have it as a middleware. We have other tools for displaying the output of a file, and there is an application that is taking it to the display servers so that it can display the data. That is one implementation in the current project. There are also multiple implementations for their finance-related file transmission because that requires security. All the financial data is automatically transferred by the Connect:Direct whenever the application team puts a file into one of the directories. We provide the directory where they need to put the file. We have the automation job that picks up the file and delivers it to the user or the application that needs to utilize that file. Its setup is straightforward. The concept is straightforward. All the related information is also available on the internet. If any of the newbies want to check or get some info on Connect:Direct, they can go to the IBM site, and they will get all the details regarding the implementation, configuration, and any issues they are facing. They can just check with the error message, and they will be able to get some details about it. It is a pretty straightforward tool. In open systems servers, the setup and configuration take 10 minutes or less than that. It also supports silent installation, which hardly takes two minutes. It can be deployed anywhere. It supports on-premises and cloud deployments. IBM recently provided a patch for cloud HPE servers. There were a few vulnerabilities that caused data leaks, and they have fixed that in their recent updates.

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Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct mindshare

As of July 2025, the mindshare of Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category stands at 7.7%, down from 8.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

PeerResearch reports based on Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Managed File Transfer (MFT)	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs IBM Sterling File Gateway	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs GoAnywhere MFT	Jul 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs Control-M	Jul 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Control-M	4.4	4.8%	98%	123 interviews Add to research
SEEBURGER Business Integration Suite	4.3	2.5%	95%	39 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is valued for its Checkpoint Restart, FASP technology, and robust security. Users highlight its scalability, customization options, and efficient file processing, including EBICS protocol handling. It offers encrypted, reliable, fast transfers, with high transfer speeds and automation features. Users appreciate containerization for orchestration in UNIX. Flexibility with encryption and dedicated recovery processes ensure data integrity. Its acceptance by banks underscores reliability and market strength.

"For Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct, my overall rating is ten out of ten."
"Connect Direct offers Check Point functionality to ensure data integrity during transfers."
"Connect Direct offers Check Point functionality to ensure data integrity during transfers."

Room for Improvement

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct's user interface and monitoring capabilities need enhancement. Adapting additional protocols and integrating a reverse proxy in the DMZ could simplify configuration. Limited functionality, complicated deployment, and high licensing costs challenge users, especially due to the lack of premade tools and templates. Improved visibility tools and a simpler initial setup are also desired. 管理難易度が高く、コストが高いことが課題とされています。

"I do not have any notes for improvement."
"The initial setup could be simpler and better."
"The resources required for this tool are costly and not easily available in the market."

Pricing

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct pricing is generally perceived as expensive by enterprise users. Its licensing model is based on hardware size and is an annual expense. Users note that container flexibility allows cloud movement, though this can add costs. Negotiations with Sterling can be challenging, impacting price outcomes. Compared to competitors like Primero and Software AG, Connect:Direct may be less cost-effective, especially for companies with multiple or smaller-scale use cases.

"The solution's licensing cost is too high."
"The price and licensing of Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is expensive."
"Annual licensing fee."

Popular Use Cases

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is used for secure file transmission across various operating systems including Mainframe, Linux, and Windows. It supports protocols like SFTP and FTPS for data transfers between nodes and is implemented on-premise, cloud, and hybrid environments. Users in finance, logistics, and manufacturing sectors utilize it for critical data integrity and interchange needs, complying with standards such as SWIFT and ISO 20022.

Service and Support

Users find customer service and support for Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct mixed. Some experience challenges with technical support, citing unresponsive staff and delayed resolutions. Others praise it as helpful, although complex issues sometimes require extended resolution times. Users report a largely positive experience with IBM's customer service, highlighting efficient responses and effective support through a ticketing system. However, the lack of skilled personnel in earlier years and inconsistent assistance on new developments are noted concerns.

Deployment

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct's initial setup varies in complexity based on technical expertise and environment. It is often straightforward, especially for experienced users, but can become complex with certain security or integration requirements. Deployment is typically quick, with some setups taking just minutes, although UNIX-based installations require some command-line knowledge. Support and documentation are available, but troubleshooting issues could involve multiple potential failure points. Some setups depend on specific project or infrastructure needs.

Scalability

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is highly scalable, handling extensive expansion needs for companies. It supports high volume transfers and offers horizontal and vertical scalability, including with Kubernetes for resource management. Many users attest to its capability to adapt to changing demands, finding it efficient for business growth. Although some mention challenges, the infrastructure supports growth effectively without significant external assistance. Companies integrate it into ecosystems for continued use without encountering notable issues.

Stability

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is consistently described as stable, with no bugs, glitches, crashes, or freezes. Users frequently emphasize its reliability across various industries, including banking, citing its secure, accelerated file transmission capabilities without complexity. Stability is highly rated, with numerous entities having no history of issues. Many rate it ten out of ten for reliability, highlighting it as robust and ensuring 100% delivery assurance, making it a highly praised choice.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

42%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Insurance Company

Media Company

Retailer

Government

Healthcare Company

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Non Profit

Educational Organization

University

Legal Firm

Performing Arts

Recruiting/Hr Firm

Real Estate/Law Firm

Wholesaler/Distributor

Outsourcing Company

Consumer Goods Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Non Tech Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Logistics Company

Hospitality Company

Marketing Services Firm

Transportation Company

Compare Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct with alternative products

Learn more about Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Features

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Performance capabilities such as extraordinary scalability and low latency.

Automated, dependable file transmission that permits unattended, round-the-clock operations.

Designed to run on a variety of operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, UNIX, Linux, IBM z/OS, OpenVMS, i5/OS, and HP NonStop.

Advanced security features with cutting-edge encryption to meet regulatory and industry standards.

IBM certified containers for Sterling Connect:Direct are enterprise-grade, secure product editions that are scalable, secure, easy to install, and manage update and rollback processes. They also have integrated common software services for consistent deployment lifecycle management.
Boosts transfer speed for large files over high-speed networks by up to four times the previous speed while reducing latency.
Gives existing FTP transfers the ability to retry, checkpoint, and compress existing transfers.
Supports a variety of network protocols, including TCP/IP, Systems Network Architecture (SNA), and an optional high-speed add-on based on Aspera FASP technology.

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

High performance: Takes care of your most demanding workloads, including multi-gigabyte files to large volumes of small files.

Reliable file delivery: To help ensure predictable, assured file delivery, it offers automated scheduling, checkpoint restart, and automatic recovery.

Secure transmission of files: Maintains the confidentiality of customer information and supports regulatory compliance measures.

Speed up patching and installation: By deploying your solution with a certified container that contains all necessary components, you can drastically cut installation and patch time from hours to minutes.

Reviews from Real Users

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its robust file processing and its security for file transfers. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:

Michele I., Business Unit Manager at Innovery, writes of the solution, “The file processing is done very well. By default, there are a lot of configurations that can be customized. Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is one of the stronger MFT solutions in the market, it is available in each type of installation, and offers SaaS, PaaS, YaaS, on-premise.”

Camilo M., Pre-sales Engineer at Dell EMC, mentions, “It's a great tool because it offers secure file transfers and it has a fast and efficient protocol for very large files.”