BMC Control-M Managed File Transfer vs Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct comparison

Control-M Managed File Transfer is a market leader in the field of building, scheduling, and managing internal and external file transfers. Users of this solution are able to automate whole portions of the transfer process. They can set up a dynamic scheduling feature, which will activate once a transfer operation has concluded. This automatically updates the schedule of activities that your system is supposed to perform. However, this feature does not stop with simply setting a schedule. After the schedule is updated, the system will set those activities in motion. The automation relieves you of the need to assign a team to write scripts or any kind of manual work. This will ensure that everything runs on schedule while at the same time reducing the amount of resources necessary to make that happen.

Control-M Managed File Transfer has a simplified and unified dashboard. Users are able to view and access all of the system’s file transfer information. This platform provides a high level of visibility and intuitive use. It ensures that users will be able to view any stage of their file transfer operations at any time that they wish. Users can conduct a quick search with specific pre-set search options and find any piece of information they might require.

Key Features

Some of Control-M Managed File Transfer’s key features include:

• The ability to view and search any and all information related to the transfer of your files from a single dashboard. Control-M Managed File Transfer’s operations dashboard enables users to track all aspects of their file transfer with ease.
• The ability to set up a virtual hub with users and folders based in the cloud. Control-M Managed File Transfer allows you to involve partners in your business ventures. This program gives users the ability to create a virtual space in which to house the files related to your business partners. You will be able to grant them access to this space by establishing them within the system as the users of the space. This will enable them to manage their files in a space that is connected to your system.

Reviews from Real Users

Control-M Managed File Transfer stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are the robustness of the solution and its ability to integrate easily with other related programs. It is constantly being upgraded to meet the varied needs of its users.

A software engineer at a computer software company notes the robust nature of this solution when he writes, “This solution has a vast amount of features, and with every new release, there are lots of new features introduced. The application has high availability - we have multiple customers and it's highly available. On an application level, if something goes down with the primary, then the application goes over to the secondary, so it's very, very easy to do disaster recovery.”

Another PeerSpot user, who is an RPA-WLA BU director at a tech services company, takes note of how easy it is to use Control-M Managed File Transfer in conjunction with other products. They point out, “It is easy to use and integrate with different solutions. It is a good solution that is easy to implement and deliver.”

IBM's Sterling Connect:Direct is a software product that offers security-hardened, point-to-point file transfers to reduce reliance on insecure File Transfer Protocol (FTP) transmissions. It is designed for high-volume file distribution within and between businesses. The solution guarantees more reliable file movement, from batch integration and movement of large images or catalogs to synchronization with distant sites. Sterling Connect:Direct also enables hybrid cloud deployment through certified containers, allowing for simple and consistent deployment lifecycle management.

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Features

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

• Performance capabilities such as extraordinary scalability and low latency.

• Automated, dependable file transmission that permits unattended, round-the-clock operations.

• Designed to run on a variety of operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, UNIX, Linux, IBM z/OS, OpenVMS, i5/OS, and HP NonStop.

• Advanced security features with cutting-edge encryption to meet regulatory and industry standards.

• IBM certified containers for Sterling Connect:Direct are enterprise-grade, secure product editions that are scalable, secure, easy to install, and manage update and rollback processes. They also have integrated common software services for consistent deployment lifecycle management.
  
• Boosts transfer speed for large files over high-speed networks by up to four times the previous speed while reducing latency.
  
• Gives existing FTP transfers the ability to retry, checkpoint, and compress existing transfers.
  
• Supports a variety of network protocols, including TCP/IP, Systems Network Architecture (SNA), and an optional high-speed add-on based on Aspera FASP technology.

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

• High performance: Takes care of your most demanding workloads, including multi-gigabyte files to large volumes of small files.

• Reliable file delivery: To help ensure predictable, assured file delivery, it offers automated scheduling, checkpoint restart, and automatic recovery.

• Secure transmission of files: Maintains the confidentiality of customer information and supports regulatory compliance measures.

• Speed up patching and installation: By deploying your solution with a certified container that contains all necessary components, you can drastically cut installation and patch time from hours to minutes.

Reviews from Real Users

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its robust file processing and its security for file transfers. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:

Michele I., Business Unit Manager at Innovery, writes of the solution, “The file processing is done very well. By default, there are a lot of configurations that can be customized. Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is one of the stronger MFT solutions in the market, it is available in each type of installation, and offers SaaS, PaaS, YaaS, on-premise.”

Camilo M., Pre-sales Engineer at Dell EMC, mentions, “It's a great tool because it offers secure file transfers and it has a fast and efficient protocol for very large files.”