Email is the most common way that users transfer files to other users. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Email is fast and easy. We rely on it to communicate with employers, colleagues, vendors, family and friends. It makes sense that we default to sending a file through email. However, with fast and easy, we often sacrifice security and reliability.

Consider the story of John. John works in a professional services organization and has promised to deliver a large proposal to an important client by end of day. John typically relies on email to send his files, so he simply drafts an email and attaches the proposal and hits send. John leaves for the day, but when he arrives at work the next morning he is met with an angry email from the client. He didn’t receive the proposal because the file exceeded the size limits set by his IT Department. John loses the account and now faces an awkward conversation with his manager.

This scenario is far too common. We rely on email so heavily, but email was never intended to be used as a file transfer system. With email there is no guarantee that your attachments will reach the intended recipient. Additionally, sending large files can be a pain for the receiver who ends up with a jammed inbox. This puts added pressure on the IT department who is tasked with finding a solution. It can be a vicious cycle.

Fortunately, John’s story doesn’t have to be yours. By streamlining your user-driven file transfers, you can spare yourself John’s pain and gain peace of mind. You will know that your file is secure and you’ll be alerted if it doesn’t transfer properly.
Attachmate has several solutions that address managed file transfer challenges. Next month we’ll introduce two of them. Until then, here are some handy tools for evaluating managed file transfer solutions.

Do you have your own “John story?” Feel free to share it in the comments section below!

User-driven file transfers and you is a post from: Data In Motion - a Managed File Transfer blog

Share and Enjoy

The post User-driven file transfers and you appeared first on Data In Motion - a Managed File Transfer blog.

Failure is not a term sought after by most. People do not start a project with the intention to fail, but rather to succeed. The same is true for the key file transfers that keep your business moving. Nobody wants to be set up for failure; however, with the wrong tools in place, failure is quite possible.

We’ve come up with the top three classic file transfer “fails” to show what you could be risking.

1. My customer knew the file transfer failed before I did. In interactions and transactions with clients, there is an expectation that promised files will be delivered in a timely manner.  When a customer notices that a file did not make it before the delivering organization does, it can create tension and questions about reliability. Additionally, with FTP (the basis for many home-grown file transfer solutions) there is no alert that a file did not reach its intended destination. So while FTP may be quick and easy to implement, it doesn’t protect you from the potential embarrassment and doesn’t provide a failsafe system that alerts you of an error.
2. My email attachment is too big. The number one file transfer fail that we hear time and time again is an  email attachment that has been blocked from being sent or received because it is too large. This is the way that the majority of people send documents to other people; inside and outside of their organization. Not only is the file transmission not secure, but there is no way to know that the file made it through your email and into your intended target’s inbox. Email attachments also take up inbox space.  “Your inbox is full” messages are so annoying.
3. My IT staff is spending too much time involved manually managing file transfers. When there are multiple file transfer solutions within an organization, it requires a great deal of maintenance. Custom scripts for each solution are hard to maintain and hard to support. This is increasingly difficult as an organization grows in size and the demand increases. Provisioning tasks are often manual, requiring a great deal of time and effort. Wasting resources is a big fail, when resources could be allocated to more pressing tasks.

The good news is these classic fails don’t have to happen to you! Your organization can avoid failure and be prepared for success by implementing a managed file transfer solution, like those offered by Attachmate. Read our previous blog post on tools for evaluating your solution.

Classic File Transfer Fails is a post from: Data In Motion - a Managed File Transfer blog

Share and Enjoy

The post Classic File Transfer Fails appeared first on Data In Motion - a Managed File Transfer blog.

Is your washing machine giving you signs that it's ready to be replaced? How about your processes for transferring files?

Before you decide it’s time for a new home appliance, there are usually signs that indicate it’s time to bring in the new and recycle the old. Your washer and dryer aren’t what they used to be. From funny noises, to clothes left stained and damp, the signs are hard to ignore. The same is true for developing a file transfer strategy. There are many indicators that illustrate the need for a new approach. We have highlighted three examples that showcase this need.  

1. The most classic symptom that indicates the need for a file transfer strategy is when you have a problem sending a large email attachment. If you are sending a large file to someone at another organization, you want to ensure that the document was received. But what if the attachment is too large for an email system? Even if the important file clears your email, it may not make it through the intended recipient’s email system and there is no way to know if the file was stalled. You need a reliable file transfer method that allows you to easily send even large files to other users.
2. Another indication that it is time for a file transfer strategy is when there is no standard for file transfers in the organization. If everyone is sending files in a different way, it is confusing and makes it difficult to integrate solutions.  A single transfer strategy could streamline the process across your organization, especially if you select a solution that is scalable and flexible to your growing business needs. Also, by investing in a single file transfer solution, you’ll help cut costs by dealing with fewer vendors and reducing the number of file transfer servers you use to move files into and out of the organization. 
3. Finally, if you are using non-secured file transfer protocols, your data is at risk. The information you are transferring could be compromised and there is no way to ensure compliance with corporate policy. This could have devastating consequences on an organization and illustrates the need for one, flexible file transfer strategy that can be used across an organization and ensures files are received and information is protected.

If you notice the need for a file transfer strategy across your organization, we would be happy to discuss the benefits of FileXpress. Please contact us here.

What led you to explore a file transfer strategy?

How You Know it is Time for a File Transfer Strategy is a post from: Data In Motion - a Managed File Transfer blog

Share and Enjoy

The post How You Know it is Time for a File Transfer Strategy appeared first on Data In Motion - a Managed File Transfer blog.