Email, Overnight Service, and FTP Replacement

More and more business today is transacted electronically: Messages and files are sent/received between colleagues, partners, and customers; individuals collaborate on projects remotely; technical support departments service their users with fast, efficient software downloads. Tools such as email, FTP, and overnight services had been able to get the job done, but today’s needs require additional security, compliance with federal and state regulations, easier interfaces, and better management and reporting capabilities.

An application that enables you to transfer gigabyte-size files, ensure secure communications between parties, and is easy-to-use, can improve your workforce’s efficiency, save you time and money, and prevent potential loss of crucial data.

The following comparisons of BDS with email, FTP, and overnight services demonstrate how anyone using one or more of these methods to communicate files and messages should consider upgrading to BDS.

BDS vs. Email

Sending files through email is a very convenient and simple way to move documents and files. Unfortunately, email systems were developed several decades ago when security was not an imperative. IT administrators often use the analogy of sending an email to sending a postcard – if you don’t care who reads your message (or attachments), then email is fine. If you want to make sure your message and attachments are not viewable by others, then you must look for another way to send that information.

Email, however, does have the advantage of being extremely easy to use, and email systems are usually tightly integrated with global contact lists and directory services. Attaching files to email is also a very simple process, usually involving dragging and dropping files onto a message. The burden exists on the back end – storing the files for an indefinite period of time, clogging up bandwidth when sending large files to multiple recipients, and again, securing the data. Today, more organizations than not are restricting attachments by size and file type – five megabyte files or larger are stripped out, as well as many file formats such as .zip and .exe files.

Because the main advantage of email is ease of use (with most users unaware of bandwidth, security, and back end management issues), it has been so widely adopted despite its inherent drawbacks. The key then to a superior file transfer system is to eliminate the drawbacks while maintaining the same ease-of-use..

BDS vs. FTP

FTP is another legacy and widely used file transfer method. The majority of complaints about FTP come primarily from the people who are trying to download files, i.e., too hard to use, especially if client software needs to be downloaded and installed. But the more serious complaint about FTP is how highly susceptible it is to being hacked or accessed by unauthorized individuals.

The IT group with responsibility for FTP servers is often asked by people to set up new users, create directories, upload files, and then clean up downloaded files. In addition to managing users, passwords, and permissions, IT personnel must search for records of successful delivery in cryptic log files. Extracting reports from an FTP server that is filtered and legible can also be another problem area. Overall, managing FTP users, assigning permissions, keeping track of files, folders, directory hierarchy, storage limitations, etc. can be a significant burden to an already overloaded IT staff.

Other FTP considerations:

• FTP passwords are often sent in clear text
• Files transferred with FTP are usually not encrypted
• Managing FTP folder permissions is cumbersome
• Analyzing FTP logs is time consuming
• FTP does not notify senders when a recipient has downloaded a file
• To the average user, FTP is a challenge to use

BDS vs. Overnight Services

Last ditch attempts at sending large files often involve an overnight courier service. The labor, time, and expense involved in using this method are significant – finding a CD or DVD recording device, burning the data, putting together the package, addressing it, and paying for the service, which must cover the expense of planes, delivery trucks, personnel, and fuel. And even overnight delivery can’t compete with a near instantaneous electronic file transfer.

To see BDS in action, request a demonstration from one of our account executives. For a quick look at the application, click here.