Managed File Transfer (MFT) Overview & Solution

If you familiar with middleware, you will be familiar with MFT / Managed File Transfer. It is one of the middleware category. If you know FTP (File Transfer Protocol), you might be know this MFT. I have worked with this MFT for about a year. I work with several partner that provide MFT solution or product. For Indonesian Market, MFT is a right solution to help company work and collaborate with their customers and partners. So what is MFT?

Wikipedia.com:
Managed file transfer ("MFT") refers to software or a service that manages the secure transfer of data from one computer to another through a network (e.g., the Internet). MFT software is marketed to corporate enterprises as an alternative to using ad-hoc file transfer solutions, such as FTP, HTTP and others.

Typically, MFT offers a higher level of security and control than FTP. Features include reporting (e.g., notification of successful file transfers), non-repudiation, auditability, global visibility, automation of file transfer-related activities and processes, end-to-end security, and performance metrics/monitoring. ensure secure, reliable and auditable data transfer to enhance various type of business process.

WhatIs.com

Managed file transfer (MFT) is a type of software used to provide secure internal, external and ad-hoc data transfers through a network. MFT products are built using the FTP network protocol. However, because federal regulations require that MFT products meet strict regulatory compliance standards, they include mechanisms to ensure a higher level of security and help keep information private.

MFT applications offer business automation, along with reporting and non-repudiation. An MFT solution should simplify management and ensure regulatory compliance while supporting all current security standards and methodology, including SSLencryption, X.509 encryption and proxy certificates.

Ipswitchft.com

MFT is a category of middleware software that ensures reliable, secure and auditable file transfer to enable critical business process. 

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My Definition: Managed File Transfer (MFT) is a middleware software that ensure secure, reliable and auditable data transfer to enhance various type of business process.

Problem we are facing nowadays related with MFT:

1. Low service level because of many disruption to the document exchanged and data transfer, such as unstable and narrowband network 
2. Low visibility because of lacking or minimal operational status
3. Not meet complication related data security best practices
4. High operational costs because too many complex manual processes, manual errors and exception drive up costs and lengthen time to value 
5. Continued growth in the amount of data, size of files and volumes of transactions  mandates highly scalable solutions to support expansion of business that demand simplicity and rapid response 

There are many solution related with this MFT. They offer several additional features to support the operational like Web Access, Mobile, etc... Some of them offer analytics functionality like dashboard too. Basically it is just an additional for the security, reliability and audibility data transfer. Just for your information too, some of the big brands also offer collaboration with another middleware like B2B (Business 2 Business) Integration. If MFT talk about file transfer, B2B talk about real time integration, and more automation. You have to decide based on your objective you want to achieve and of course your budget. Thank you for reading.