International provider of research and analysis services, Gartner, has included multi-enterprise collaboration company, Sterling Commerce, as a Strong Positive provider with its Connect software in its "MarketScope for Managed File Transfer Suites, 4Q04" report.
The report disclosed that while functionality of managed file transfer suites presently is ahead of end-user requirements, current and future mandates and regulations soon will bring them in sync.
"Recent initiatives including HIPAA ( Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act) and Sarbanes Oxley are calling for every process to be documented, auditable and accountable, including those business processes that incorporate or leverage FTP (file transfer protocol)," says Frank Kenney, Gartner research analyst, in the report. "The result is that in the immediate future, companies need to consider how they are securing and managing these file transfers."
Sterling Commerce, represented in SA by Datacentrix as sole business partner, was one of 11 leading managed file transfer (MFT) vendors rated in the categories of strong negative, caution, promising, positive and strong positive. Criteria included vendor MFT strategy, financial viability, number of installations, innovation and vision, management, integration capabilities and secure connectivity.
"MFT suites assist businesses in controlling all aspects of data movement between two entities," explains Johan Dippenaar, product manager at Datacentrix. "By definition, the suites need to include secure communications, the ability to monitor and control the data, capabilities that can overcome physical hardware limitations and operating environment limitations and restart capabilities allowing a file to be transferred from any point. Common but not required functionality includes integration, compression and additional security for DMZ deployments.
"Sterling Commerce`s managed file transfer products are among the most trusted in the world with more than 45 000 licences worldwide," he says. "Sterling customers rely on these solutions to help them move mission-critical data, assure it arrives as scheduled and protect it from harm in transit. The Gartner announcement recognises both Sterling`s experience and its future direction with this solution."
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