Why is Diplomat MFT a good alternative to Cerberus FTP?

Diplomat Managed File Transfer (MFT) and Cerberus FTP are both file transfer solutions, but customers may choose Diplomat MFT over Cerberus FTP for various reasons. Here are the top five reasons why customers might prefer Diplomat MFT: • Enhanced Security Features: Diplomat MFT often offers a more robust set of security features compared to Cerberus FTP. This can include advanced encryption options, support for various secure protocols, and comprehensive access controls. Customers who prioritize data security may opt for Diplomat MFT to ensure the safe transfer of sensitive information. • Automation and Workflow: Diplomat MFT typically provides advanced automation and workflow capabilities. This allows customers to streamline their file transfer processes, schedule transfers, and integrate with other business systems more efficiently. Businesses with complex or repetitive transfer needs may find Diplomat MFT better suited for their workflow automation requirements. • Scalability: Diplomat MFT is often chosen for its scalability. It can handle large volumes of data and support the growing needs of businesses as they expand. This scalability can be particularly important for enterprises with increasing data transfer demands. • Compliance and Reporting: Diplomat MFT may offer more comprehensive compliance and reporting features, making it easier for businesses to meet regulatory requirements. This can be critical for industries subject to strict compliance standards, such as healthcare (HIPAA) or finance (PCI DSS). • Support and Maintenance: The quality of customer support and ongoing maintenance can be a deciding factor. Diplomat MFT vendors may provide excellent customer support, including timely updates, patches, and technical assistance, which can contribute to a smoother user experience. It's essential for customers to evaluate their specific needs and priorities when choosing between Diplomat MFT and Cerberus FTP. The decision may depend on factors such as the level of security required, the complexity of file transfer workflows, the size and growth of the organization, and the importance of compliance with industry regulations.

What are the drawbacks of using software that doesn’t allow for PGP Encryption?

Encryption is the backbone of secure managed file transfer. Encrypted files are useless to any party that manages to steal them, or who receive them in error. File transfer software that does not include support for automated PGP file encryption means those files will be vulnerable to compromise, or the user will have to create custom scripts, which is not easy or reliable. Managed file transfer software should include automated encryption using PGP to ensure that all files are encrypted, no matter the scale or volume of transfers. Using file transfer software that doesn't allow PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption can have several drawbacks: • Lack of Data Privacy: Without PGP encryption, files transferred through the software are vulnerable to interception by unauthorized parties. This means that sensitive information can be accessed by hackers or anyone with malicious intent. • Risk of Data Breaches: In the absence of encryption, there is a higher risk of data breaches. If the file transfer software is compromised or if there are vulnerabilities in the system, it becomes easier for attackers to gain access to sensitive data. • Compliance Issues: Many industries and organizations are subject to data protection and privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Using unencrypted file transfer methods may lead to non-compliance with these regulations, resulting in legal and financial consequences. • Lack of Authentication: PGP encryption not only encrypts the data but also provides a means of authentication, ensuring that the recipient is who they claim to be. Without this, there is a risk of sending files to the wrong recipient or falling victim to spoofing attacks. • No Data Integrity Verification: PGP encryption also provides a mechanism for verifying the integrity of the data. If the data is altered during transit, PGP decryption will fail, indicating potential tampering. Without this, it's challenging to ensure that the received data is unchanged. • Limited Security Controls: File transfer software without PGP encryption often lacks advanced security controls, such as expiration dates on files, password protection, or access controls. These features are crucial for managing and securing sensitive data. • Limited Trustworthiness: Users may be hesitant to use a file transfer system that lacks PGP encryption because they cannot be certain of the security of their data. This lack of trust can hinder collaboration and data sharing within an organization. • Dependency on External Tools: Users who require encryption may need to resort to external tools or services to encrypt files before transferring them, which can be cumbersome and may lead to errors. • Increased Administrative Burden: IT administrators may need to implement additional security measures or monitoring to compensate for the lack of encryption in the file transfer software. This can increase the administrative workload. • Loss of Competitive Advantage: In some cases, competitors or partners may offer file transfer solutions with PGP encryption. Using a less secure option could put your organization at a competitive disadvantage. In summary, the absence of PGP encryption in file transfer software can result in significant security and compliance risks, potentially leading to data breaches, legal issues, and a loss of trust among users. Therefore, it's essential to carefully consider the security features of file transfer solutions to protect sensitive data effectively.

Is Cerberus FTP safe and secure?

Cerberus FTP is a secure file transfer server that supports a variety of secure protocols, including FTPS, SFTP, and HTTPS. These protocols encrypt your data in transit, making it difficult for unauthorized individuals to access it. Cerberus FTP also offers a number of other security features, such as: IP filtering: This allows you to restrict access to your server to specific IP addresses. User authentication: Cerberus FTP supports a variety of authentication methods, including password authentication, SSH key authentication, and two-factor authentication. File permissions: You can control who can read, write, and execute files on your server. Activity logging: Cerberus FTP logs all activity on your server, so you can track who is accessing your files and what they are doing. In addition to these features, Cerberus FTP is regularly updated with security patches to fix any vulnerabilities that may be discovered. Overall, Cerberus FTP is a secure file transfer server that can be used to protect your data from unauthorized access.

Is Diplomat MFT more secure than Cerberus FTP?

Diplomat MFT is generally considered to be more secure than Cerberus FTP. This is due to a number of factors, including: PGP encryption: Diplomat MFT supports PGP encryption for both inbound and outbound file transfers. This means that your files are encrypted both before they are sent and after they are received, making it very difficult for unauthorized individuals to access them. Edge Gateway: Diplomat MFT’s Edge Gateway technology allows you to securely transfer files without exposing your back-end network to the internet. This is because the Edge Gateway acts as a proxy between your back-end network and the internet, and all file transfers are securely tunneled through it. Audit logging: Diplomat MFT provides comprehensive audit logging that can be used to track all file transfers and user activity. This can be helpful for identifying and investigating potential security breaches. In addition to these features, Diplomat MFT is regularly updated with security patches to fix any vulnerabilities that may be discovered. Overall, Diplomat MFT is a more secure file transfer solution making it a favourable Cerberus FTP alternative. If you are concerned about the security of your file transfers, then Diplomat MFT is a good option to consider. Here is a table that summarizes the key security differences between Diplomat MFT and Cerberus FTP: As you can see, Diplomat MFT offers a number of security features that are not available in Cerberus FTP. These features can help to protect your data from unauthorized access and make Diplomat MFT a more secure file transfer solution.

Azure Blob Integration · Diplomat MFT

Need SFTP to Azure Blob Storage? Get More Than an SFTP Endpoint.

Securely exchange files between trading partners and Azure Blob Storage with Diplomat MFT. For a similar price to native Azure Blob Storage SFTP, gain built-in SFTP, browser transfers with PGP, multi-system automation, user management, monitoring, alerts and complete auditing. No more scripts and disconnected processes. Simplify your B2B pipelines and scale beyond an SFTP Endpoint.

Book an Azure Blob transfer demo See how it works

Diplomat MFT at a glance

See Azure Blob transfers in action

Azure Blob

Diplomat MFT

AWS S3

Watch the short video overview

Is this page for you?

You need scheduled, automated file transfers into or out of Azure Blob Storage

You need OpenPGP encryption and a full audit trail on every transfer

You move files between Azure Blob and AWS S3, SharePoint or on-prem

You are paying for the native Azure SFTP endpoint, or scripts are failing silently at scale

You only need an occasional manual upload to a container · Storage Explorer or AzCopy is fine

You need API-level app integration, not file movement · that is iPaaS (Boomi, MuleSoft, Logic Apps)

Rated on G2★★★★★Leader & High Performer

★★★★★Top Rated & Community Choice

0 CVEs in 20+ yearsBanks, hospitals and agencies

Automatic OpenPGPOn every transfer

No-code automationRetire fragile scripts

Multi-protocolSFTP, FTPS, OpenPGP

Full audit trailEvery transfer, exportable

The two ways to do it

Azure Blob's SFTP endpoint, or Diplomat MFT as the platform around it

Same storage destination. Two very different ways to get files there and back, and to govern them once they move.

Built into Azure

Azure Blob's SFTP endpoint

A direct SFTP connection into one Azure storage account. Right for a simple point-to-point handoff.

Lets trading partners connect to one Blob container over SFTP

Always-on charge, roughly $220 a month per storage account, whether or not you transfer anything

Local SFTP users only. No Entra ID or Azure AD

No browser upload for partners who do not run an SFTP client

No OpenPGP, no scheduling, no transfer-level audit trail

Sees that one storage account. Nothing routes onward to S3, on-premises or a partner

Diplomat MFT

A managed transfer platform around Azure Blob and beyond.

An SFTP server your partners connect to, moving files both into Blob and back out

A browser-based Web Transfer Portal, no SFTP software required

Automated workflows that move files into and out of Blob

Built-in OpenPGP, auditing and alerts on every transfer

Easy SFTP user and key management in one place

Connect Azure Blob, S3, SharePoint and on-premises from one engine

Deploy on-premises, in your own data center, or in any cloud, and still front Azure Blob, with no need to run inside Azure itself

For this one job, the spend may be similar. The capability is not.

If all you need is a single SFTP door into one Azure Blob account, the native feature is a valid choice. Once the job becomes partner uploads, browser access, automated delivery, OpenPGP, user management, auditing or alerting, you are no longer buying an SFTP endpoint. You are choosing whether to buy a transfer platform around Azure Blob.

Azure's built-in SFTP endpoint

~$220/mo per account, always on

What it covers:

A single SFTP door into one Blob account

Encryption, scheduling, routing, alerting and the audit trail are still yours to build

Diplomat MFT

One platform around Azure Blob

What you also get:

Browser-based Web Transfer Portal, with OpenPGP built in

Edge Gateway for safe inbound, no data or credentials held in the DMZ

An SFTP server that moves files both into Blob and back out

No-code automation, auditing and alerts across every endpoint

Deployment on your terms, on-premises, in your own data center or any cloud, without hosting anything inside Azure

The spend goes on solving a file-exchange problem either way. Buy the thing that actually solves it.

Azure Blob Integration

Every transfer is logged, including who moved what, when, from where, and whether it succeeded. Audit reports export as compliance evidence. That is the record an auditor actually asks for.

Diplomat MFT · Transaction

AUDIT

ConnectionTransfer log

DetailExportable · who / what / when / result

Azure BlobDiplomat MFTS3

Step 1 / 5

The same pattern works in reverse and across clouds: Blob to S3, on-prem to Blob, Blob to a trading partner. One engine, one audit trail. Related: our OpenPGP and AWS S3 how-to briefs.

Explore Diplomat MFT

See it in action

Try the SFTP to Azure Blob Storage workflow yourself

Click through a live build of an automated transfer from an SFTP server to Azure Blob Storage in Diplomat MFT. No install and no sign-up. Move at your own pace, one step at a time.

Interactive demo
SFTP to Azure Blob Storage automation in Diplomat MFTLive

Want to see it run against your own environment?
Book an Azure Blob transfer demo

Approach comparison

Azure Blob file transfer: which approach fits your requirement?

All four approaches are valid for the right job. The right choice depends on whether your transfers are recurring, encrypted, audited and cross-cloud, and on whether you want to pay for an always-on endpoint.

Requirement	Native Azure SFTP	Branded front-end (Couchdrop)	Custom script / VM	Diplomat MFT
Best for	Simple point-to-point SFTP into one account	Inbound partner SFTP access	Bespoke one-offs, full control	Recurring, secure, audited transfers
Always-on endpoint cost	~$220/mo per account	Subscription instead	VM running cost	No standing endpoint needed
Entra ID / AD auth	Local users only	Provider-managed	You build it	Central credential management
Scheduled automation		Basic	You build & maintain	Built-in, with retries
OpenPGP encryption			If you code it	Native, automated
Unified audit trail		Within the tool	Whatever you log	Every transfer, exportable
Monitoring & alerting			If you build it	Alerts and retries built in
Blob to S3 / SharePoint / on-prem			Per connector you build	One engine, all destinations
Compliance evidence (HIPAA/PCI/CMMC)				Purpose-built
Maintenance burden	None, but billed hourly	Vendor-managed	You own it forever	Coviant Software-supported

◑ Partial or possible with effort. The native endpoint and a branded front-end are honest choices for simple, always-on SFTP access. Diplomat MFT is for when transfers must be automated, encrypted, audited or cross-cloud, without paying to keep an endpoint running.

Before you pay for an always-on SFTP endpoint

Can you move files to Azure Blob Storage without managed file transfer?

Often, yes. For an occasional manual upload, Azure’s own tools, Storage Explorer and AzCopy, are the right answer, and the native SFTP endpoint is a genuine option too. The question is not whether you can move files to Azure Blob Storage, but whether the method holds up, and stays affordable, when the transfer is recurring, encrypted, audited, or dictated by regulations like HIPAA, GLBA or CMMC. Here is how the common approaches compare.

Native Azure Blob SFTP endpoint

Fine for a quick job

Lets an external client connect to a Blob container over SFTP, using the familiar protocol, with no server to run.

Reasonable for a simple, point-to-point SFTP handoff into or out of one storage account.

Enabling the endpoint carries an always-on hourly charge, on the order of 0.30 US dollars an hour, roughly 220 US dollars a month per storage account, whether or not you transfer anything. It authenticates local users only, with no Entra ID or Azure AD, and it does not schedule, encrypt with OpenPGP, or produce a transfer-level audit trail.

A branded SFTP front-end (for example, Couchdrop)

Works, with gaps

A hosted service puts a managed SFTP front door in front of Azure Blob Storage, so partners connect over SFTP without you running the native endpoint. This is what many people find when they search for an easier way to do Azure SFTP.

Solves inbound partner access, and adds SSH-key and multi-factor options on top of Blob.

It is another subscription, and it is a front door, not a transfer control plane. You still do not get scheduled cross-cloud automation, automated OpenPGP on every file, or one unified audit across Azure Blob, S3 and on-premises.

Roll-your-own VM SFTP server

Cheaper endpoint, hidden cost

A Linux VM runs an SFTP server in front of Blob storage, which several teams reach for once they see the native endpoint bill.

Lower endpoint cost than the native feature if the VM is small and well managed.

You now own patching, hardening, key management, uptime, logging and the audit trail forever. The saving on the endpoint fee is spent on operations and risk.

Custom scripts (AzCopy, SDK or PowerShell)

The hidden cost

A developer scripts AzCopy or the Azure SDK to push and pull blobs. Maximum control, and where many teams start.

Fine as a one-off if you have the developer skill and time to build and maintain it.

You now own error handling, retries, encryption, secret rotation, logging, and every SDK or API change forever. This is the brittle-script problem MFT exists to solve.

The pattern: each option is fine for its one job, but cost and risk rise with every recurring, regulated, or cross-cloud transfer. The native SFTP endpoint is a single-purpose door, and its real cost is the opportunity cost: you pay to keep it running and still have no browser portal, no automated OpenPGP, no cross-cloud workflows and no unified audit trail. For comparable spend, Diplomat MFT does all of that from one engine. That is where it earns its keep.

See the trigger scenarios

Match the job to the right tool

Which approach fits your organization’s needs?

Occasional manual uploadSomeone moves a few files into a container now and then.

Storage Explorer or AzCopy is the right fit.

Simple, always-on SFTP door for one accountOne partner, one container, cost not a concern.

The native Azure SFTP endpoint is reasonable.

Application & API integrationConnecting Azure services to another app’s business logic.

Not a file transfer job. Use an iPaaS tool like Boomi, MuleSoft or Logic Apps.

Governed file movementRecurring, encrypted, audited, or cross-cloud transfers you must prove, without an always-on SFTP bill.

Diplomat MFT

When Azure Blob transfers outgrow the workarounds

Why IT teams use Diplomat MFT with Azure Blob Storage

These are many of the events that trigger a move to Coviant Software’s Diplomat MFT when an organization moves files in and out of Azure Blob Storage.

The surprise SFTP line on your Azure bill

Someone enabled the native SFTP endpoint for a single job and never turned it off. Months later it is still there on the invoice, around 220 US dollars a month per storage account, for a door almost nobody uses. This is the moment teams look for a way to move files into Blob without paying to keep an endpoint running.

A partner needs to send files, but can’t be given an Entra identity

The native Azure SFTP endpoint authenticates local users only. When a supplier or client needs to deliver files into a container, you are creating and managing local credentials outside your identity system, with no central control, expiry or audit. You need external parties to deliver into a governed location without a VM, a standing endpoint, or an account in your directory.

A nightly load into Blob keeps breaking

A scheduled job pushes data into a container overnight, and when it fails there is no retry, no alert, and no log that survives. You find out when the downstream report is empty or a partner asks where the file is. This is where teams stop trusting a script for important transfers.

The auditor asked for every transfer to and from Blob, and you couldn’t produce it

A HIPAA, PCI DSS, or CMMC audit needs evidence that files moving to and from Azure Blob Storage were encrypted, logged, and controlled. The native endpoint and a pile of scripts were never designed to answer “show me every transfer in the last 90 days.”

An AzCopy or SDK script became load-bearing

What started as a quick AzCopy command now runs a partner feed, a backup, or a reporting pipeline, and only one person understands it. Every SDK or authentication change is a fire drill. The organization is one resignation away from a broken transfer it cannot fix.

You’re standardizing a sprawl of one-off Azure transfers

Different teams solved Azure Blob file movement in different ways, and IT now owns a museum of scripts, VMs, endpoints and manual steps with no consistent encryption, logging or ownership. The goal is one governed engine for all of it, with a single audit trail, before the next change breaks something.

Recognize one or more of these scenarios? Coviant Software’s team can map your specific Azure Blob transfer pattern to Diplomat MFT before you commit to anything.

Book a no-obligation assessment

By industry

Which Azure Blob transfers does your industry actually move?

Diplomat MFT customers often operate in highly regulated industries. These are the recurring Azure Blob Storage transfers Coviant Software sees most often in each.

Healthcare

Patient reports to and from payers
Claims and remittance files
Lab and imaging results to partners

HIPAA

Finance & banking

Daily reconciliation files
Regulatory and audit submissions
Statement and settlement files

PCI DSS & DORA

Manufacturing

CAD drawings to suppliers
BOM and spec sheets
EDI and order files to partners

Workflow automation

Government & defense

Controlled unclassified information (CUI)
Inter-agency document exchange
Contractor deliverables

CMMC

Legal

Matter and case documents
Discovery and evidence bundles
Client deliverables under NDA

Confidentiality

Retail

Supplier catalogs and price files
Inventory and fulfillment feeds
Partner onboarding documents

Supply chain

Education

Confidential student files
Health center data
Intellectual property and technology transfer

FERPA

Sector examples are illustrative of common Diplomat MFT patterns.

What Diplomat MFT delivers for Azure Blob

Azure Blob Storage file transfer use cases with Diplomat MFT

Native Azure Blob connection, no always-on endpoint

Connect to Azure Blob Storage through Diplomat MFT’s native connector and move files on a schedule or trigger, without enabling and paying for the native SFTP endpoint.

Scheduled & event-driven Azure Blob transfers

Push and pull blobs on a schedule or a file-arrival trigger with no custom scripting. Retries, alerts and error handling are built in.

See workflow automation

OpenPGP encryption on every file

Encrypt and decrypt files with OpenPGP automatically as part of the transfer, in addition to TLS in transit.

How Diplomat MFT automates OpenPGP

Azure Blob, other clouds & on-prem, one engine

Move files between Azure Blob, AWS S3, SharePoint, OneDrive, Box and on-premises systems from a single governed workflow.

See secure cloud file transfer

Full audit trail & compliance reporting

Every transfer logged: who, what, when, from where, success or failure. Exportable evidence for HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, CMMC and more.

See HIPAA compliance

Web Transfer Portal for external partners

Give suppliers and clients a secure, branded portal to deliver files into a governed location, with access controls and expiry and the industry’s only browser-based PGP encryption automation. No Entra identity or standing SFTP endpoint required.

Web Transfer Portal

Edge Gateway and DMZ for safe delivery

Terminate inbound connections in the DMZ without opening inbound ports to your internal network.

Edge Gateway

Honest considerations

Diplomat MFT moves files, it does not integrate APIs. If you need application-level integration between Azure services and another system’s business logic, that is iPaaS territory (Boomi, MuleSoft, Azure Logic Apps). For an occasional manual upload to a container, Storage Explorer or AzCopy is the right choice.

Diplomat MFT earns its keep when transfers are recurring, encrypted, audited, or span more than one cloud, and when an always-on SFTP endpoint is the wrong way to pay for them. Coviant Software’s assessment will tell you honestly which side of that line you sit on. Diplomat MFT has never been breached in more than twenty years.

Want the full product picture? This page covers the Azure Blob use case; the Diplomat MFT overview covers editions, protocols and deployment.

Integration profile

DestinationAzure Blob Storage (Gen2, hierarchical namespace)

DirectionPush & pull

Connects viaNative Azure Blob connector (storage API; account Key or Blob SAS URL)

Protocols also supportedSFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, AS2

EncryptionOpenPGP + TLS

Also connectsAWS S3, SharePoint, OneDrive, Box, on-prem

DeploymentOn-prem, cloud or hybrid

Audit trailEvery transfer

Security record0 CVEs, 20 yrs

Common enterprise patterns

How teams use Azure Blob Storage with Diplomat MFT

In every instance, Diplomat MFT is the governed engine in the middle, with a single audit trail.

On-prem or app data into Azure Blob

On-prem / line-of-businessDiplomat MFT · OpenPGPAzure Blob container

Scheduled exports land in Blob, encrypted and logged.

Full how-to above

Partner files into Azure Blob, without the paid endpoint

Partner SFTPDiplomat MFTAzure Blob container

Collect partner files over SFTP and land them in Blob, with no native SFTP endpoint and no local users to manage.

Azure Blob out to a trading partner

Azure BlobDiplomat MFT · OpenPGP + SFTPTrading partner

Encrypted per-file delivery to an external partner with full audit.

PGP automation

Azure Blob and AWS S3, in sync

Azure BlobDiplomat MFTAWS S3

Move data between clouds on a schedule. One engine, one audit trail.

SharePoint into Azure Blob archive

SharePoint libraryDiplomat MFTAzure Blob · archive tier

Age files out of SharePoint into low-cost Blob storage on a schedule.

Azure Blob connector

Azure Blob into an on-prem system

Azure BlobDiplomat MFT · Edge GatewayOn-prem system

Bridge cloud storage back to legacy on-prem systems without opening inbound ports.

Edge Gateway

An honest gut-check

Do you actually need Diplomat MFT?

Two honest lists. The left one talks you out of buying. The right one is the risk if you are on the wrong side of the line and do nothing.

You probably do not need Diplomat MFT if…

If most of these are true, Azure’s own tools, the native endpoint, Storage Explorer and AzCopy, are the right, honest answer. Save your budget.

You move a handful of files by hand now and then
You have no compliance or audit obligation
Nothing needs encrypting beyond what Azure already does at rest
No transfers need to run on a schedule, unattended
You are not exchanging files with external partners
You do not mind, or pay for, an always-on SFTP endpoint
No one will ever ask you to prove what moved, when

If that is you, Azure’s native tools are the fit. Come back when a transfer becomes recurring or regulated.

But doing nothing has a cost, if you do need governance

If you are on the other side of that line and stay on scripts, endpoints and VMs, this is the debt that accrues quietly.

That always-on SFTP endpoint bills every hour, whether it is used or not
Technical debt piles up in scripts only one person understands
Staff dependency: the transfer is one resignation away from breaking
No visibility when an overnight job silently fails
Failed transfers surface only when a partner complains
Audit pain: no single record of who moved what, when
Compliance exposure that becomes a finding at the worst time

This is the problem a governed MFT engine exists to remove. If the left list is not you, this is the cost of waiting.

Not sure which side of the line you sit on?

Coviant Software’s team can map your specific Azure Blob transfer pattern to Diplomat MFT and tell you honestly whether you need it.

Build your MFT case

Why Diplomat MFT

Why an MFT engine, and why Diplomat MFT specifically

A 20-year, zero-CVE security record

Diplomat MFT has recorded zero CVEs in more than two decades, and runs no internet-facing admin console by design. That is the common attack vector behind other MFT breaches.

See the MOVEit alternative page

Named, accountable engineering

Built by Coviant Software, led by Greg Hoffer, Chief Executive Officer, a recognized pioneer and authority on managed file transfer, cybersecurity and post-quantum readiness. Technical and customer support comes from our own MFT specialists, not an outsourced desk.

About Greg Hoffer

One engine for every destination

Azure Blob today, S3 and SharePoint tomorrow, an on-prem partner feed next quarter, all from one governed workflow with one audit trail. You are not buying an Azure point-tool; you are consolidating file movement.

Secure cloud file transfer

Compliance is the default, not an add-on

Built for healthcare, banking, government and manufacturing, where HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, CMMC and DORA are the baseline. Encryption, access control and a complete audit trail are how it works, not a premium tier.

Compliance solutions

Proof

Diplomat MFT is already moving regulated data at scale

Azure Blob

Diplomat MFT

AWS S3

One governed engine moving files in and out of Azure Blob Storage.

“Diplomat MFT has been a powerful workhorse for all of our enterprise file exchange for many years. No other enterprise application we use comes with the same level of support we receive from Coviant.”

Verified customer review · G2

0CVEs in 20+ years

#2MFT category on SourceForge

20 yrsSecuring file transfers

Coviant’s customers are concentrated in regulated sectors. Named healthcare and finance stories show the same compliance-first pattern this page describes.

See healthcare solutions

Common questions

Azure Blob Storage SFTP: frequently asked questions

Yes. Azure Blob Storage has a native SFTP endpoint you can enable on a storage account that has a hierarchical namespace, which lets SFTP clients connect directly to a container. It authenticates local users only, with no Entra ID or Azure AD, and enabling it carries an always-on hourly charge, on the order of 0.30 US dollars an hour, roughly 220 US dollars a month per storage account, whether or not you move any files.

The SFTP endpoint is billed at an hourly rate for as long as it is enabled, on the order of 0.30 US dollars an hour, which is roughly 220 US dollars a month per storage account, on top of normal storage and transaction costs. The charge applies whenever the feature is enabled, regardless of transfer volume. Check Azure’s current pricing for exact figures.

No. The native SFTP endpoint authenticates local users you create on the storage account, not Entra ID or Azure AD identities, so those credentials sit outside your central identity system. Diplomat MFT connects through the native storage API with an account Key or a Blob SAS URL, so the credentials are managed centrally in Diplomat MFT instead of as local SFTP users.

No. Azure Blob Storage SFTP support is generally available, not deprecated. It is constrained, with local users only, an hourly cost, and single storage-account scope, which is why teams reach for a managed file transfer engine for anything beyond simple SFTP access, not because the feature is going away.

Yes. If the native SFTP endpoint is enabled, standard SFTP clients like WinSCP and FileZilla can connect to a container, which is fine for manual, ad hoc transfers. For recurring, scheduled, encrypted or audited transfers, a managed file transfer engine like Diplomat MFT automates the whole flow instead of a person driving a client by hand.

No. Diplomat MFT connects to Azure Blob Storage through the native storage API, using an account Key or a Blob SAS URL, so you do not need to enable the paid SFTP endpoint to move files in and out of Blob with Diplomat MFT. You would keep the native endpoint only if you separately need external partners to reach a container over SFTP, and even then the Diplomat MFT Web Transfer Portal or a governed SFTP flow is usually the better answer.

For your IT & security team

Operational questions engineers ask before they trust a transfer

Straight answers to the due-diligence questions that decide an MFT evaluation.

Diplomat MFT connects through the native Azure Blob connector, using the storage API with an account Key or a Blob SAS URL. It does not require the paid native SFTP endpoint, so you can move files in and out of Blob without an always-on SFTP charge.

Connection credentials, the account Key or Blob SAS URL, are held centrally in Diplomat MFT rather than embedded in scripts or scattered across ad hoc tools, so they can be rotated in one place.

A failed transfer raises an alert to designated individuals through the communications medium of choice, such as email, Slack or Teams. No silent failures.

Transactions carry a configurable retry policy, so a transient network or endpoint failure is retried automatically before it is escalated as a failure.

Diplomat MFT tracks what it has already moved, so a re-run does not blindly re-send files that already transferred successfully.

Behavior on name collisions, whether to overwrite, timestamp, or preserve, is configurable per transfer, so you control what happens when a file already exists in the container.

Every run logs who moved what, when, from and to where, and success or failure, and is exportable as compliance evidence.

Deeper technical detail lives in the Technology Briefs. Point your engineers at the OpenPGP, SFTP and secure-transfer briefs for the mechanics behind these answers.

Browse Solution Stories

See Diplomat MFT move files to Azure Blob Storage

Book a demo and we will scope your exact Azure Blob transfer, to S3, to SharePoint, or to a partner. Or take a free 15-day test drive and build it yourself. No pressure, just an honest answer on whether Diplomat MFT is right for your transfers.

Book an Azure Blob transfer demo

Or start a free 15-day test drive · talk to Coviant Software

On this pageApproaches How-to Compare When FAQs Demo

Diplomat MFT Overview

Enterprise Edition

Edge Gateway

Standard Edition

Web Transfer Portal

File Replication

Professional Edition

SFTP Server

FREE TRIAL

Oracle Health (Cerner) Integration and Automation

Epic Automation For HIPAA Compliant File Transfers

Cerberus FTP Alternative & Comparison

Automate, Encrypt, and Audit Every SharePoint Transfer

Automate PGP and SFTP

HIPAA Compliance Overview

MOVEit Alternative & Comparison

MFT vs SFTP: A Comprehensive Guide

JPMorgan File Transfer and Automation

HIPAA Compliant File Transfer with Diplomat MFT

GoAnywhere Alternative & Comparison

ALL SOLUTION STORIES

HEALTHCARE

MANUFACTURING

GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SECTOR

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

RETAIL

INDUSTRIES HUB

Professional Services

Reseller Program

Recommend An Edition

Literature & Downloads

A Guide to MFT

PGP Encryption

REQUEST A QUOTE

FREE TRIAL

Diplomat MFT Overview

Enterprise Edition

Edge Gateway

Standard Edition

Web Transfer Portal

File Replication

Professional Edition

SFTP Server

FREE TRIAL

Oracle Health (Cerner) Integration and Automation

Epic Automation For HIPAA Compliant File Transfers

Cerberus FTP Alternative & Comparison

Automate, Encrypt, and Audit Every SharePoint Transfer

Automate PGP and SFTP

HIPAA Compliance Overview

MOVEit Alternative & Comparison

MFT vs SFTP: A Comprehensive Guide

JPMorgan File Transfer and Automation

HIPAA Compliant File Transfer with Diplomat MFT

GoAnywhere Alternative & Comparison

ALL SOLUTION STORIES

HEALTHCARE

MANUFACTURING

GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SECTOR

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES

RETAIL

INDUSTRIES HUB

Professional Services

Reseller Program

Recommend An Edition

Literature & Downloads

A Guide to MFT

PGP Encryption

REQUEST A QUOTE

FREE TRIAL

Need SFTP to Azure Blob Storage? Get More Than an SFTP Endpoint.

Azure Blob's SFTP endpoint, or Diplomat MFT as the platform around it

Azure Blob's SFTP endpoint

Diplomat MFT

How to automate a secure Azure Blob Storage transfer with Diplomat MFT

Connect Azure Blob Storage

Connect the other side

Add OpenPGP encryption to the transaction

Schedule it and set alerting

Prove compliance with the audit trail