Data files contain the lifeblood of an organization’s success, which is why we are fond of reminding people that the world still runs on files. Whether those files are used internally for operations and collaboration, or transferred externally to transact business, comply with government regulations, or interact with a complex network of partners and vendors, getting that data safely and on time to the people who need it is essential.
Maybe your organization’s file transfer system was established years ago, cobbled together by someone in IT with a combination of shareware tools, custom scripts, and an FTP server. Maybe you bought a commercial managed file transfer (MFT) product. Maybe you did nothing and instead relied on someone in an administrative role to use email or some archaic form of ad hoc data exchange when sharing data with another organization.
Whatever the case, you’ve noticed that things are moving faster. Your information supply chain has grown larger and more complex. Organizations you rely on now have security best practices that they require you to adhere to as a prerequisite for doing business with them. Regulations have established rigid standards for security and data privacy. Deadlines are coming at you fast. News of security vulnerabilities and data breaches are besetting the products you’ve chosen. Executives from legal, compliance, finance, and other departments are peppering you with questions about security, performance, and costs.
What can you do?
How to Choose a New Managed File Transfer Solution
If you’ve encountered any of these situations—either directly or you are simply experiencing anxiety over them—chances are you’ve got a managed file transfer system that is obsolete, inadequate to meet your needs, or has been beset by a series of data breaches. You need to find a new managed file transfer solution that has the capacity to operate at the scale you require, security features to keep you and your information supply chain safe, and process automations that will keep workflows moving and enable your employees to be more productive and efficient.
But because change is uncomfortable, you need to build a business case before proposing a new solution. Why? Because managed file transfer solutions touch too many areas that are sensitive to your organization’s operations. An MFT ROI calculator can help IT teams estimate savings from replacing manual scripts, legacy FTP tools, and inefficient workflows with a managed file transfer platform.
- Regulatory Compliance: Most MFT platforms are used to transfer files containing healthcare information, financial data, personnel files, intellectual property and proprietary information. Numerous laws and standards (HIPAA, GDPR, GLBA, SOX, PIPEDA, PCI-DSS, etc.) are in play with strict best practices that must be followed. And you need compliance tools that make it easy to document the fact that you follow the rules should an audit be necessary.
- Cybersecurity: Because of the value of the data they have access to, managed file transfer solutions have been targeted by cybercriminals who have exploited flaws in their design to compromise the data and the organizations that use vulnerable MFT platforms. You need an MFT solution with secure architecture, state-of-the-art security features, and a track record of secure operation.
- Performance: Today’s information supply chains are large and complex, and organizations need assurance that their managed file transfer solution has the capacity to handle the volume, variety, and velocity of its current file transfer workload—and the ability to grow as those needs increase. You need a managed file transfer solution with enterprise-grade file capacity and automation that can handle virtually unlimited concurrent job management.
- Cost Efficiency: You can spend a lot on managed file transfer and still not get what you need. And you may be concerned that switching MFT solutions could incur hidden costs and headaches that simply aren’t worth it. Buying based on a stated price is never a good idea. You need assurance that the managed file transfer product you choose is a smart investment for the long term. You need to understand its ROI in clear terms.
What to Compare in Managed File Transfer Alternatives
A good MFT platform should include a baseline of features and capabilities that meet the needs of today’s modern enterprise. This includes support for standard, secure transport protocols like SFTP and FTPS, extensive workflow automations that support efficiency and process reliability, automated PGP encryption management, support for current post-quantum encryption standards, and security features like multifactor authentication and support for authentication applications, administrative access control based on the principle of least privilege.
Simple compliance tools like data flow mapping and one-click reporting are also important as they make it easier to prove that the organization consistently follows the rules should an audit ever be required. It also allows you to demonstrate to your organization’s legal and compliance office that your investment in a managed file transfer solution isn’t going to create any problems down the road due to a lack of documentation.
Diplomat MFT makes it easy to build that business case so that everyone with veto authority on your decision to upgrade to a rock-solid, secure MFT solution is on board. Diplomat MFT has automated data capture and one-click reporting for compliance auditing. Diplomat MFT has a rich security feature set including PGP encryption and SFTP support, post-quantum cryptography compatible, least-privilege access control, multifactor authentication, threat intelligence, and the only MFT solution available with PGP automation in a web transfer client. Furthermore, Diplomat MFT has never been breached in more than twenty years of operation.
Diplomat MFT comes in three editions to handle your file transfer workload, including Diplomat MFT Enterprise Edition that is used to handle some of the largest file transfer workloads in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, logistics, and government.
How to Compare Managed File Transfer Platform Costs and Value
And now you can use our Managed File Transfer ROI Calculator to compare the cost of your current managed file transfer product with Diplomat MFT based on factors like:
- Industry
- Comparative product costs
- Labor hours saved
- Expected payback period
- Data breach cost avoidance
- Product replacement and migration costs
These and other inputs allow you to dial-in on the scenario that best represents your needs, and the results can be downloaded as a PDF report in support of your business case. You can check out our MFT ROI Calculator here, with no obligation. Just select the options that best fit your circumstances and see what the result is. It couldn’t be easier.