Introduction
If you are responsible for the data management functions of your business, you are probably in survival mode. You are probably sending ever-increasing volumes of business-critical information across systems and exchanging data with members of your extended enterprise (customers, partners, suppliers, distributors, service providers and even governmental agencies). As the challenges become exponentially greater and more complex, the question of how data is managed becomes increasingly important. As your business grows, requirements of your job become increasingly complex … and data becomes more difficult to manage. Out of necessity or convenience, many individuals or departments often manage their own file transfers. This piecemeal approach typically offers no visibility into what data is being transferred, who is responsible for it, and no security for what data is leaving the enterprise. What do you say when your Customer calls and says, “Where is my file?” You may already be seeking a Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution to help protect sensitive data at all times and manage, scale, consolidate and integrate existing file management processes into a single, secure file transfer solution. For example, a large customer, Nestle, may demand you provide them with new methods of connectivity as a requirement for doing business with them. Or, you may have additional challenges for managing files because your business must now comply with security and audit mandates such as HIPAA and Visa Payment Card Industry (PCI), or Sarbanes-Oxley.
Secure FTP Between Platforms is No Longer Enough
As your business grows, file management becomes more than just two systems exchanging data: it becomes many diverse systems and servers that must be integrated to exchange information effectively. Your business must be agile enough to: Handle the diversity of new trading partners, with protocols and data types they require and security requirements they impose Bring customers “on-board” quickly Have a clear, easy way to manage your business processes and handle the inevitable exceptions Provide a way for you and your customers and partners to see and understand how and when critical transactions are taking place Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Whether you send purchase orders, invoices, Automatic Ship Notifications, CAD/CAM files, employee/HR records, or logistical data, transactional data flows can often get disrupted. Throw in mergers and acquisitions that create even more heterogeneous environments, and the challenges escalate. Translations fail. Documents get corrupted and data doesn’t always match up. Messages get lost. All this leads to lost revenue and escalating costs, both in terms of manpower and resources. Meeting audit requirements, responding to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) imposed on your business and establishing efficiencies in your business require technology speaks the language of your business. In some cases, transferred files not only represent your business – they ARE your business. For a variety of business reasons, you need a Managed File Transfer solution that offers you a scalable and phased-in approach to:
- Internal and external file transfer
- The ability to “bridge” files and messages
- Central management and control
- Global visibility/Business Activity Monitoring (BAM): intra- and extra-enterprise
- Automation for file transfer related activities and processes
- Encryption/Decryption
- Security – End-to-end
- Auditability
- Guaranteed delivery (non-repudiation)
- Performance metrics/monitoring
By following the step-by-step procedures in this guide, you will learn to :
Determine the capabilities of your current file transfer system
Define the system you need, and key criteria you should consider when choosing an MFT suite
Devise a best practices plan, to make the transition from your old system to your new system, with mini-mum disruption in your day-to-day workflow
You know you need to consolidate your data into a single, manageable solution available to your entire enterprise. An enterprise-wide transmission gateway, implemented in a service-based model, helps you manage the transfer and integrity of data at any level — locally, nationally and globally.
