In my opinion, the best MFT solution is Control-M.
First of all, it has two different file transfer options. You can opt to select the traditional management file transfer, which orchestrates internal file transfers, or you can choose to go with their enterprise version, which offers both internal and external file transfers.
The solution is good because it gives you instant visibility into the status of file transfers with a dashboard view, extensive file transfer search options, and reduces the risk of downtime with extensive automated recovery features.
In addition, Control-M lets you orchestrate file transfers alongside related application workflows, which helps improve the performance of your business services.
Control-M allows you to securely automate enterprise file transfers, maintain data integrity, and provides a single view of all application workflow activity. It also ensures data integrity with support for multiple file transfer protocols and FIPS compliance.
Control-M has a solid set of features. While I haven’t been able to explore all of them yet, here are the ones that I find to be most useful so far:
Automatic recovery: When network failures or outages cause a file transfer to fail, you can automatically recover and restart the failed transfer from the point of failure or from the beginning.
Built-in file transfer server: This specific feature eliminates the need to use third-party file transfer servers. I like that the file transfer server supports secured transfer and authentication and can be configured and managed from the central configuration interface.
Directory listing: Control-M has a directory listing with advanced capabilities that enables you to view and archive remote directory content. It uses file timestamps to synchronize local and remote directories. And it has advanced search capabilities that are available in both the GUI and web interface.
Different authentication options: Another good thing about Control-M is that it offers authentication support for both internal and LDAP users/groups.
B2B Options: Control-M has a B2B Hub which helps manage external file transfers and allows for virtual users and folders that can be associated with external business partners. It also has a B2B gateway feature, as well as a B2B file exchange that external business partners can use to manage files.
In addition to these features, Control-M has seamless integration, and the stability of the transfers is impressive. Furthermore, the collective view of multiple data pipelines and workflows is invaluable. The solution is also very easy to set up and deploy.
Besides its great features, Control-M has a lot of other advantages. One of the biggest benefits is that you can reduce business service risk and remediation costs with a single, integrated view for file transfers and related workloads. Another key benefit is that Control-M helps increase application delivery speed by supporting agile delivery practices. Additionally, the solution proactively supports lines of business by quickly remediating file transfer-related issues before they impact the business. And so far I have been very happy with the responsive support. They are very knowledgeable and quick to respond.
@Janet Staver I find it amusing that BMC are advertising on this platform and getting such glowing reviews from an 'independent' tech blogger. I might jump to the conclusion that the review could have been written by the vendors Marketing department.
Search for a product comparison in Managed File Transfer (MFT)
There is no such thing as the best MFT solution, only the best for the end-users requirements and budget.
There are somewhere near twenty MFT vendors (we at Pro2col track) to pair the right solution for the end-users requirements and budget. We get a great insight into industry trends and are seeing an increasing number of customers moving to the cloud but still, around 70% are deployed on-premises.
@Evgeny Belenky thanks for the reply. Fundamentally the solutions should comply with the basic requirements of an MFT solution - these being a gateway, a server to land files or and a workflow tool. There are other components such as dashboards, agents, secure email modules, EDI capabilities (and more) which make up the peripheral features of a solution. The absolute basics are the gateway, server and workflow though, if it doesn't have these - it's not Managed File Transfer.
Other things to be aware of, and this isn't quite so easy for an organisation buying MFT for the first time is: What is the technical support like? How complete is the product documentation? How well QA'd is the software, i.e are buggy releases pushed out to customers, is there a regular release cadence for bug fixes, new features and a published roadmap. All of these things to consider before you even get to the features.
Having helped nearing 1000 businesses to implement file transfer solutions since 2004, we've a 'Pro2col Process' we follow to ensure businesses get the right product for their current and future needs - but naturally I won't be sharing that here. :)
Managed File Transfer is a secure and efficient way to transfer data between systems or users. Offering automated workflows and monitoring, MFT ensures data integrity and compliance during file exchanges, supporting business continuity.MFT solutions provide seamless integration with existing systems, facilitating the secure transfer of files across networks. By automating data flows, MFT reduces the risk of human error and enhances operational efficiency. Its capabilities include encryption,...
In my opinion, the best MFT solution is Control-M.
First of all, it has two different file transfer options. You can opt to select the traditional management file transfer, which orchestrates internal file transfers, or you can choose to go with their enterprise version, which offers both internal and external file transfers.
The solution is good because it gives you instant visibility into the status of file transfers with a dashboard view, extensive file transfer search options, and reduces the risk of downtime with extensive automated recovery features.
In addition, Control-M lets you orchestrate file transfers alongside related application workflows, which helps improve the performance of your business services.
Control-M allows you to securely automate enterprise file transfers, maintain data integrity, and provides a single view of all application workflow activity. It also ensures data integrity with support for multiple file transfer protocols and FIPS compliance.
Control-M has a solid set of features. While I haven’t been able to explore all of them yet, here are the ones that I find to be most useful so far:
Automatic recovery: When network failures or outages cause a file transfer to fail, you can automatically recover and restart the failed transfer from the point of failure or from the beginning.
Built-in file transfer server: This specific feature eliminates the need to use third-party file transfer servers. I like that the file transfer server supports secured transfer and authentication and can be configured and managed from the central configuration interface.
Directory listing: Control-M has a directory listing with advanced capabilities that enables you to view and archive remote directory content. It uses file timestamps to synchronize local and remote directories. And it has advanced search capabilities that are available in both the GUI and web interface.
Different authentication options: Another good thing about Control-M is that it offers authentication support for both internal and LDAP users/groups.
B2B Options: Control-M has a B2B Hub which helps manage external file transfers and allows for virtual users and folders that can be associated with external business partners. It also has a B2B gateway feature, as well as a B2B file exchange that external business partners can use to manage files.
In addition to these features, Control-M has seamless integration, and the stability of the transfers is impressive. Furthermore, the collective view of multiple data pipelines and workflows is invaluable. The solution is also very easy to set up and deploy.
Besides its great features, Control-M has a lot of other advantages. One of the biggest benefits is that you can reduce business service risk and remediation costs with a single, integrated view for file transfers and related workloads. Another key benefit is that Control-M helps increase application delivery speed by supporting agile delivery practices. Additionally, the solution proactively supports lines of business by quickly remediating file transfer-related issues before they impact the business. And so far I have been very happy with the responsive support. They are very knowledgeable and quick to respond.
@Janet Staver I find it amusing that BMC are advertising on this platform and getting such glowing reviews from an 'independent' tech blogger. I might jump to the conclusion that the review could have been written by the vendors Marketing department.
There is no such thing as the best MFT solution, only the best for the end-users requirements and budget.
There are somewhere near twenty MFT vendors (we at Pro2col track) to pair the right solution for the end-users requirements and budget. We get a great insight into industry trends and are seeing an increasing number of customers moving to the cloud but still, around 70% are deployed on-premises.
Hope that helps.
@Evgeny Belenky thanks for the reply. Fundamentally the solutions should comply with the basic requirements of an MFT solution - these being a gateway, a server to land files or and a workflow tool. There are other components such as dashboards, agents, secure email modules, EDI capabilities (and more) which make up the peripheral features of a solution. The absolute basics are the gateway, server and workflow though, if it doesn't have these - it's not Managed File Transfer.
Other things to be aware of, and this isn't quite so easy for an organisation buying MFT for the first time is: What is the technical support like? How complete is the product documentation? How well QA'd is the software, i.e are buggy releases pushed out to customers, is there a regular release cadence for bug fixes, new features and a published roadmap. All of these things to consider before you even get to the features.
Having helped nearing 1000 businesses to implement file transfer solutions since 2004, we've a 'Pro2col Process' we follow to ensure businesses get the right product for their current and future needs - but naturally I won't be sharing that here. :)