Organizations these days need to transfer large volumes of data securely and quickly within their network or to external stakeholders. Different types of data fall under this purview. There are several file-sharing protocols available, including File Transfer Protocol (FTP), HTTPS, SFTP, and FTPS. MFT is especially important if you deal with sensitive information.
What is Managed File Transfer (MFT)?
Information is encrypted using AES ciphers, Open PGP, or other protocols. MFT is especially useful when dealing with high volumes of sensitive or compliance-related data. For this reason, sectors such as healthcare, banking, telecommunications, and retail prefer to use MFT protocols.
Secure managed file transfer ensure compliance with industry standards while streamlining workflows, safeguarding critical information and enhancing collaboration between teams or external partners. This approach minimizes risks and promotes efficient, secure communication across your organization.
Enterprise Managed File Transfer (MFT) provides secure, reliable and automated file exchanges across an organization. It ensures compliance with data protection regulations, enhances operational efficiency and safeguards sensitive information through encryption, authentication and tracking features, minimizing risks.
Using MFT is your best bet if:
- You require visibility and control over the movement of data.
- You need to replace outdated or high-maintenance file transfer protocols.
- You rely on secure online transfers and file-sharing tools.
MFT has an extremely useful aspect to it, in that it encrypts data both as it is being sent and when it is in storage. It also offers handy features, such as in-built antivirus protection, ensuring data is secured against unauthorized changes, as well as comprehensive reporting capabilities.
Why is Secure MFT Used?
This question is easily answered when you compare MFT to the other protocols available on the market:
- MFT vs. FTPS
FTPS encrypts data using TLS or SSL. MFT offers encryption at rest and in transit, but with additional features, such as audit trails, performance metrics, and transfer automation.
- MFT vs. HTTPS
HTTPS does not offer any encryption functionality, while MFT has built-in encryption features.
- MFT vs. SFTP
Setup and management of SFTP requires more technical expertise than using an automated MFT platform.
- MFT vs. FTP
FTP does not require any encryption and requires very basic authentication of the network. This is inappropriate when it comes to dealing with sensitive data.
What is the Difference Between SFTP and MFT?
Both SFTP and MFT are important tools. SFTP offers security during transfers, while MFT includes security, compliance, flexibility, and reporting. MFT supports various security protocols like SFTP, FTPS, and HTTP. It offers admin controls, as well as other additional capabilities.
While file-sharing protocols are useful, it makes better sense to invest in an enterprise file-sharing application like FileCloud. FileCloud offers data loss prevention, data loss backup, and secure file transfer. It is compliant with regulatory frameworks, and contains additional features at your disposal.
SFTP is mainly used for file transfer, while MFT is a package used to manage complicated workflows. SFTP is limited to use over an SSH connection, while MFT is compatible with various protocols. Lastly, SFTP is mainly preferred by small enterprises, while MFT is employed on a much larger scale.
How can Cloud–Secure MFT be Used?
FileCloud lets you deploy file transfer protocols on-premises or on the cloud. Local servers host on-premise MFT tools, while other providers host them on the cloud. Hybrid solutions are also available, and these are very convenient. MFT tools such as FileCloud offer a secure and quick way for businesses to send information to staff and customers.
Learn more about secure managed file transfer solutions with FileCloud to protect your data and ensure seamless file sharing.