Fortra&#39;s Globalscape Managed File Transfer vs Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct comparison

Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer vs. Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

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Aspera Managed File Transfer

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category, the mindshare of Aspera Managed File Transfer is 3.4%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer is 2.1%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is 8.4%, down from 9.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

Featured Reviews

Michele Illiano

Head of Division at Innovery

Mar 23, 2022

Beneficial quick protocol, powerful, but limited use cases

Aspera Managed File Transfer should be packaged into another solution. Explaining to customers you need to have multiple solutions from multiple vendors for their use cases can get complicated for them to understand. The best way to propose a suite is to have an integrated suite where the customer could choose to license part of it. This solution could be one solution not two choices between 10 or 12 different solutions. The main feature of Aspera Managed File Transfer is the communication protocol, which is fast. There are a lot of different clients that are offering features related to these fast protocols. It's possible to create one unique suite that can handle this base protocol. It will be quite easy to propose to the customers.

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Sumit Mundik

Application Development Senior Analyst at Accenture

May 24, 2023

The API call and file synchronization options are standout features

The GUI base is handy because you don't have to run commands. The dual interface accommodates Windows or Linux installations. The API call feature is valuable because we can build jobs in the solution but run them via external triggers. Most other products do not allow this type of action. The solution is user friendly so anyone can learn it with some background knowledge of managed file transfers, encryption, types of protocols, configuration, and key items for authentication. The advanced controls for security and compliance are important. Standard protocols are SFTP and FTP but compliance teams will not agree to FTP because any middleman can steal data with a user ID and password. Banking companies prefer SSH keys with authentication and the solution includes this feature. For example, IBM shares their public key to JP Morgan Chase's system and then IBM uses their private key to make connection. PGP encryption is also used to convert plain text to encrypted data that cannot be hacked without the private PGP key. There is an automated process for receiving and processing daily files or regulatory documentation. The file synchronization option stands out from competitor products. The advanced workflow engine allows you to write code for file or folder synchronizations. For example, an Excel sheet has 14 tabs and it is saved into the local FSX. The solution reads the tabs, converts each to a separate CSE file, and sends all 14 files to the destination S3 bucket. A job skeleton can be used from test to production so you don't have to build jobs from scratch in production. Once created in the test environment, jobs can be exported in the .JSON format and imported to production with minimal changes to the source or definition files. This is a great feature and saves a lot of time.

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Sumit Mundik

Application Development Senior Analyst at Accenture

Aug 2, 2024

Has good file transfer speed, but licensing cost is too high

The initial setup of the solution is not straightforward because it's not GUI-based. If you are installing the solution on a UNIX server, you should have a basic understanding of UNIX. You should know how to go from one directory to another, what the config files are, how to edit those files, and how to get the backup of those files. You need a little technical knowledge for it. The developers working on the solution are very costly for the organization. Also, the complexity of having this kind of setup is very difficult. This solution is only used by giant financial companies like BNY Mellon, Barclays, and JPMorgan Chase. They cannot replace the solution because they have several files transferred internally using it. It is very difficult and cost-consuming for them to change, migrate, or upgrade their system. That's the reason they are not able to do it very easily.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Aspera Managed File Transfer is an optimal solution for customers who want to transfer large files to remote sites with lower bandwidth and in less time."

"Good user interface and ability to set up multiple file transfer jobs."

"The main feature of Aspera Managed File Transfer is that it's an incredibly fast protocol, you can use all the bandwidth available. If I need to send large amounts of data this is the fastest protocol on the market. I have been using it for some minor projects and it is very powerful."

"It bolsters security with features like Data Loss Prevention and seamless integration with DLP for a safe and compliant environment which enables real-time document sharing and control over file actions."

"The High Security Module is valuable. It allows for increased security. It allows me to integrate Globalscape with our Active Directory. So, we manage all our customer accounts outside of Globalscape, and it allows us to import them with LDAP queries. It's very convenient. It also gives our customers the confidence that it's a very secure product."

"A job skeleton can be used from test to production so you don't have to build jobs from scratch in production."

"The most effective feature is its advanced workflow engine. Another feature is the flexibility of the code we use to create tasks."

"Its ease of use is most valuable. Especially for the configuration of the rules, we don't need to have any scripting knowledge. Previously, we used to have a lot of custom scripts to transfer these files. Now, it's all managed in one place, and it's like a self-service. It's saving a lot of time for us."

"The Advanced Workflow Engine it comes with is brilliant because it allows us to create scripts and perform behind-the-scenes jobs that would otherwise require a third-party solution... You would have to create a special code on the outside to get all that other stuff done in the background. With Globalscape, we can get all of that done in one package."

"The fact that it is Windows-based was a huge factor for us because most of our endpoints are Windows-based. And the ability to configure it means standardization is available with the product."

"The most valuable feature is the automation engine, because it allows you to script or program and it has lots of different features and options. It's something like an IDE for programmers, where they can add variables, arrays, loops, et cetera."

More Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer pros

"The Security Plus feature of this solution is excellent, and allows you to send encrypted files very securely to remote destinations."

"Security is the most valuable feature of this product."

"Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is a solution that is on the market for a very long time. There is an integrator that has been developed and evolves every year. On the roadmap, there is always a new integration. For example, it's one of the solutions in the market that out of the box can handle EBICS protocol. The file processing is done very well. By default, there are a lot of configurations that can be customized."

"Automation is the most valuable feature."

"Offers secure file transfers with a fast and efficient protocol for very large files."

"The solution's file transfer speed is quite high."

"The most valuable feature is that it provides 100% reliability for file transmission. It ensures that files get delivered in a secure manner. When you use Connect:Direct, your file 100% gets delivered to the next delivery location. If the log shows that a file got delivered, it will have all the transmitted data without truncation or other data issues."

"The product has been very stable."

More Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct pros

Cons

"Aspera Managed File Transfer should be packaged into another solution. Explaining to customers you need to have multiple solutions from multiple vendors for their use cases can get complicated for them to understand."

"Deployment is complex and it was difficult to get support."

"The solution's pricing is high and should be reduced."

"Another area for improvement is the ARM (Auditing and Reporting Module) database, in terms of accuracy and the data being logged."

"We need some capability for faster transfers and large file transfers. If we want to transfer a terabyte file, it is not capable of doing that right now. They say it is possible, but we are not able to do so with our environment."

"In the beginning, it could be considered a bit challenging."

"There are two ways to install Globalscape: as a standalone server or as a high-availability server, either Active-Active or Active-Standby. We are currently using standalone servers. That means if we want to upgrade the software, I shut down one of the two back-end servers, upgrade the software, make sure everything is correct, and then turn traffic back on to that one. I then proceed to upgrade the second server. With their high-availability solution, that is not a possibility. Both servers have to be shut down to perform the upgrade. We're a 24/7 shop. We don't have a window where we can have downtime."

"Instead of using a fat client to access the administrator panel, where you have to install client software on any server that you need to use to access, I would like them to switch to a web-based model where you could connect from anywhere without having to maintain and install the software."

"I do have some complaints or concerns around the centralized platform for the management of file transfer operations, and I know that they're working towards a better solution there. At its core, it's a good feature, but needs some improvements. I would like to see a web interface so that there is universal support across versions, because we have test and production environments that aren't always in sync. It would be nice to have one administrative interface to access both."

"It could improve its operations by incorporating real-time collaboration features like those offered by platforms such as Microsoft OneDrive and Office 365."

"The folder monitoring services need improvement. Currently, with the folder monitoring services in Globalscape, if any changes are made to our firewalls, network, or something else that affects the directory services where the files are located, for some reason, the folder monitoring services get cut out, and the files are left there. They remain in the folder without being sent. I have over 50 file transmission processes that I would have to go to manually re-drop a file into the folder so that it processes the file transmission. There are times where even though I re-drop a file, it still doesn't work. In that case, I have to resynchronize the folder monitoring process, and it is a very big headache on my side that I have to deal with. It is not only related to Globalscape or their development team. It is on our side too. I just sent a support case where we found out yesterday that we had a file transmission that hasn't run in a whole year, and it was an important one. No one on the business side or the IT support side, as well as the vendor, had indicated that the file wasn't received or the data hadn't been updated. I found out that it was the folder monitoring service that was the problem when I initially had the problem last October, and this was the file that I just missed. So, I re-dropped the file in yesterday, and the monitor worked. It runs every week, so we sent a file to that folder, and it processed that out."

More Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer cons

"The user interface needs to be improved."

"Sometimes we face issues and can't figure out the cause of failures."

"Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct could improve by adding some of the functionality that some other vendors have. For example, GoAnywhere has call agents, which are small clients that can be installed on the endpoints and can be handled by the central point on the server. If I want to do this with the IBM solution, I have to sell a lot of account addresses. The price could be unprofitable for the customer. There is some small functionality that could be implemented and could be easily done to improve this solution."

"They have File Agent, which is an additional utility and a component of Connect:Direct, for automated file transmission. In that utility, there is some issue with the file name. There is a limitation on the file name, and that is being fixed by IBM."

"The user interface could be more user-friendly."

"The resources required for this tool are costly and not easily available in the market."

"The initial setup could be simpler and better."

"Technical support is the number one concern."

More Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aspera Managed File Transfer is not an inexpensive solution. I am not aware of many competitors to determine how affordable the price is overall."

"We are paying around 30K per year."

"It is a very good product in terms of purchase. It didn't cost that much, even with the way we had scaled and architecturally put things in place. It is definitely comparable to other products."

"It offers excellent value and its pricing is straightforward, making it easy to acquire, set up, and use."

"The solution is reasonably priced in comparison to other products."

"A large factor in our decision to go with Globalscape was the price."

"The on-prem licensing is very good. It's a perpetual license and I would advise others to purchase that license. That way, you don't have to pay yearly."

"Maintenance and services for Globalscape EFT have an annual price tag, and it is not cheap."

"It is much more competitively priced. Axway is probably three or four times more expensive than Globalscape. I like the server-based license. It's easier to manage than a seat license, which our previous product Axway had. Axway's license model is to charge by the account while Globalscape's model is by the server. It is much simpler and much easier when audit time comes."

More Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer pricing and cost advice

"The price and licensing of Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is expensive."

"The solution's licensing cost is too high."

"Annual licensing fee."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

18%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Insurance Company

Financial Services Firm

22%

Computer Software Company

14%

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Financial Services Firm

45%

Computer Software Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aspera Managed File Transfer?

Aspera Managed File Transfer is an optimal solution for customers who want to transfer large files to remote sites wi...

What needs improvement with Aspera Managed File Transfer?

The solution's pricing calculation needs revision to be more competitive

What advice do you have for others considering Aspera Managed File Transfer?

Aspera Managed File Transfer has superior technology. Overall, I rate Aspera Managed File Transfer a nine out of ten.

What do you like most about Globalscape Managed File Transfer?

It bolsters security with features like Data Loss Prevention and seamless integration with DLP for a safe and complia...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Globalscape Managed File Transfer?

It offers excellent value and its pricing is straightforward, making it easy to acquire, set up, and use. While there...

What needs improvement with Globalscape Managed File Transfer?

If Globalscape has a higher number of tasks, performance issues will occur. It will get hung, and then we need to res...

What do you like most about Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct?

Automation is the most valuable feature.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct?

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct is an expensive platform.

What needs improvement with Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct?

The package that IBM delivers does not come with many premade tools or templates. This means we have to create a lot ...

IBM Sterling File Gateway vs Aspera Managed File Transfer

Comparisons

Compared 71% of the time

Axway AMPLIFY Managed File Transfer vs Aspera Managed File Transfer

Compared 8% of the time

Fortra's Globalscape WAFS vs Aspera Managed File Transfer

Compared 6% of the time

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BMC Control-M Managed File Transfer vs Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer

Compared 19% of the time

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer

Compared 19% of the time

webMethods.io vs Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer

Compared 19% of the time

MOVEit vs Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer

Compared 18% of the time

JSCAPE by Redwood vs Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer

Compared 13% of the time

More Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer Competitors

Kiteworks vs Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

Compared 30% of the time

IBM Sterling File Gateway vs Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

Compared 29% of the time

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

Compared 8% of the time

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

Compared 8% of the time

Control-M vs Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

Compared 4% of the time

More Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct Competitors

Product Reports

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

Download Aspera Managed File Transfer product report

Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer

November 2024

Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer report

Download Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer product report

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct

Download Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct product report

Also Known As

No data available

Globalscape GlobalSCAPE Managed File Transfer

No data available

Learn More

IBM

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Fortra

IBM

Overview

IBM Aspera takes a different approach to tackling the challenges of big data movement over global WANs. Rather than optimize or accelerate data transfer, Aspera eliminates underlying bottlenecks by using its proprietary fasp technology that fully utilizes available network bandwidth to maximize speed and quickly scale up with no theoretical limit. Using fasp, transfers are secure end-to-end and are largely unaffected by file size, transfer distance, or network conditions, making transfer times up to 100Xs faster than TCP-based protocols.

IBM Aspera offers SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid solutions to meet the needs of modernizing infrastructures. All solutions offer robust security and compliance, intuitive file sharing, workflow automation, central administration, and real-time visibility. Quickly and easily initiate transfers across hybrid infrastructures, including support for cloud-to-cloud transfers. IBM Aspera offers unmatched transfer speeds, end-to-end security, reliability, and exceptional bandwidth control.

Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer offers comprehensive solutions for file exchanges, secure storage, automated compression tasks, and encrypted transactions, catering to on-prem and cloud deployments across global locations.

Globalscape Managed File Transfer enables seamless file transfers, monitoring, and automation for B2C and B2B exchanges. Users benefit from secure data replication, API integrations, and internal system collaborations. It supports compliance with regulatory documentation through its advanced workflow engine, High Security Module, and encryption features. With a centralized platform and robust auditing, organizations can manage encrypted file transactions and large reports efficiently and securely.

What features does Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer offer?

Ease of Use: Intuitive graphical interface simplifies file management.
Centralized Platform: Efficiently manage and monitor all file transfers from one place.
Robust Auditing: Detailed logs for compliance and security insights.
Comprehensive Security: Encryption with the High Security Module and keyring for PGP and SSH.
Seamless Integration: Works with Active Directory, PowerShell, and APIs.
Advanced Workflow Engine: Automates file transfers and regulatory documentation.
Scheduling and Monitoring: Schedule tasks and monitor folders for changes.
Graphical Interface: User-friendly visual tools for configuration and management.
Data Loss Prevention: Real-time secure document sharing and control.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

Increased Productivity: Automated workflows save time and effort.
Enhanced Compliance: Robust auditing and security meet regulatory requirements.
Secure Data Handling: Encrypted file transactions ensure data integrity.
Scalability: Supports both small and large-scale operations efficiently.
Integration Capability: Seamlessly integrates with existing systems and APIs.

Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer is implemented across industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, providing secure data transfers and compliance management. Its scalability and integration capabilities make it suitable for both on-premises and cloud-based deployments, handling high volumes of transactions and data replication with ease.

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.”

Sample Customers

Gwinnett County Public Schools, Evonik, Voith, BITMARCK, Oracle

Information Not Available

HZMO, Bank of Communications

Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer vs. Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct