FTP Usability & Maintenance Issues
Transferring large files doesn’t have to be a big problem. Accellion’s solution is secure, fast and simple. Problem solved.
Users revolt against FTP
Transferring large files securely using FTP/SFTP is difficult for most end users and it’s no surprise, given that FTP software was designed originally for programmers to setup machine to machine file transfer. However, much has happened since FTP was first designed. With the nature of digital businesses, secure file transfer has now become a core business process with human to human file transfers required daily.
FTP a maintenance nightmare
The on-going support, administration, and maintenance of FTP and SFTP causes as big a headache for IT as it does for end users. FTP and SFTP sites are difficult to use and time consuming to administer. Most FTP servers require too many IT hours setting up recipient accounts to grant access to large files on a case-by-case basis. SFTP creates even more IT support with the additional FTP client installation requirements. With FTP and SFTP there is no easy way to know who has active accounts and who has accessed a particular file. IT administrators are left responsible for creating and deleting accounts and files, an important but tedious and error-prone process.
FTP security concerns
When individual FTP accounts set up for each recipient are not terminated in a timely manner, businesses can be exposed to security risks. Additionally files archived within the FTP platform offer plenty of data to unwelcome guests when the tedious, manual process of file deletion is pushed to the IT back burner. Perhaps of most security concern, is FTP’s lack of file tracking and reporting capabilities necessary to create an audit trail, for compliance with Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA and FDA security requirements.
Automated file lifecycle management & account creation
Accellion is solving the problems of enterprise secure file transfer with an easy to use, cost-effective solution that works for end users and IT management. The Accellion secure file transfer solution allows users to send files of any size without having to attend a training session on how to use it. With Accellion ongoing management of files and accounts is no longer a problem. IT administrators are able to set global policies to automatically manage file and account lifecycles. In addition, Accellion offers end users the flexibility to specify the file life cycle by transaction. The LDAP and Active Directory (AD) integration supported by Accellion means that users of Accellion’s file transfer system can be automatically validated with existing network accounts and passwords.
