The electronic transfer of data is a critical component of every 21st century business. From e-mail messages to application security patches and critical customer databases, all need to be delivered across companies and around the world on a daily basis.
"The reality of transferring information in most organisations is that the cheapest and most convenient methods and tools are generally adopted to accomplish the task," says Amir Lubashevsky, CEO of Magix Integration. "And while these tools generally get the job done, they offer no guarantees regarding the delivery, nor about the security of the transaction."
This lack of certainty is exacerbated in the third world, as the limited bandwidth means most data transfers are asynchronous (ie not in real-time). Businesses therefore need the assurance that the data they simply assume will reach its intended destination over time will in fact do so. If data is not properly transferred, is manipulated in transit or is copied by an unauthorised third-party, all the parties in the process are compromised.
Key components in data transfer
For a data transfer to occur with a degree of certainty users can rely on, there must be four components present in every transaction:
Security: The appropriate security mechanisms must be in place to ensure the information sent is the information received; that it is received in its entirety without corruption or loss; and that nobody intercepted the data and made copies or altered it.
Availability: Even with the security guarantees, the information must still be accessible and usable by the people it is directed at.
Manageability: The process itself must be controllable. In other words, administrators must have the tools to be able to determine who sent what where and when it arrived - it must also be able to prevent unauthorised transfers. Additionally, the tools must also be able to monitor the application of the data. For example, when application patches are sent to different branches, the sender will be able to confirm delivery and installation.
Auditability: A close companion to manageability, the transfer tool must be able to follow the route the information travelled, providing an audit trail containing the exact details of the transfer. Part of this step is also the ability to provide automated alerts should any anomalies be found.
"The best way to transfer data is therefore to use a centralised tool that allows users to work the way they are used to working, transferring information and sending e-mails as required," says Lubashevsky. "Using enhanced file transfer technology, for example, will allow for this while also ensuring the four components above are in place to automatically take care of security and delivery.
"Enhanced file transfer products will not make a mountain out of a molehill by providing security for all data transfers, such as people`s lunch preferences. Administrators are able to classify information according to importance and specify the way different data is handled, no matter which platforms, data formats or applications the sender and receiver use. Simply sending data over open connections as in the past is a recipe for disaster in the information age."
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