What to Look for in a Managed File Transfer Solution

Contributing to independent enterprise buying intelligence platform Peerspot, tech blogger Janet Staver has shared very useful advice on what to look for in a Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution.

“If file transfers are an integral part of your business, it is crucial to implement an MFT solution,” she said. 

But how to choose which of the many MFT's on offer are best for your organisation...? Janet recommended you use the following key evaluation criteria:

• Security

• Ease of Use

• Data Analytics

• Authorisation and Validation

• Secure file governance

• Encryption and Decryption

• Regular Updates

• Automation

• Antivirus

• Visibility

• Budget-Friendly Customisation

  
  

Security

Highlighted by Janet as the “first and foremost” consideration – Janet observed that “not all secure MFTs are created equal.” In addition to assessing MFT solutions’ integrated security protocols, she advised intending purchasers to look for virus scans and the ability to quarantine to isolate malware.

“MFTs with strong authorisation and validation are preferable as they can help with compliance requirements,” she said.

Ease of Use

For Janet’s second key consideration, she recommended businesses choose an MFT solution which improves productivity without requiring you to write scripts for data transfer.

Data Analytics

A useful tool to “gather data about your data”, Janet noted that data analytics were also useful for meeting compliance standards and optimising file management.  Similarly, the best MFT solutions provide a high-level view of your system, including a CISO dashboard and SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) enabling reports on total access, locations, transfers, and threats.

“A good MFT will include secure file storage and governance tools that don’t compromise security,” Janet said. “Flow authoring access controls (to work with advanced workflows), granular file access roles and user policies, and regular logging are some of the basic features you should look for.”

Advanced Workflows, Regular Updates

Janet noted that some MFTs offer automation capabilities, including agents to complete complex tasks at scale.

Regular updates are also important to keep a company’s data safe from hackers, Janet said.  (Her full advice can be read here.)

Independent Analysis

To get you started comparing MFTs, you might want to consult the findings of respected independent tech analysts Info-Tech. They recently performed a comprehensive analysis of MFT solutions, using data sourced from real end users.

Their recommendation…? GoAnywhere MFT.

Besides achieving the highest overall score in the MFT category, GoAnywhere also ranked highest for Vendor Capability Satisfaction, including the key dimensions of:

• “Business Value Created”

• “Breadth of Features”

• “Quality of Features”

• “Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement”

• “Useability and Intuitiveness”

• “Vendor Support”

• “Ease of Data Integration”

• “Ease of Customisation”

• “Availability and Quality of Training”, and

• “Ease of Implementation”

  
  

Tap Australia’s and NZ’s MFT Experts

No-one better understands local MFT needs and best practices than Generic Systems Australia. Our local team has decades of experience helping businesses implement the world’s leading MFT solution.  Our Migration Service makes the transition even easier for busy businesses who’d rather spend their time focusing on their customers than their IT systems.

If you’d like a no-cost, no-obligation discussion about how we could help you simply and affordably adopt an advanced MFT solution, please feel welcome to get in touch. 

At Generic Systems Australia, we’re your local experts in MFT.