Choosing an MFT Solution – How to Find the Right One

While every business is different, compliant, reliable, and secure file transfer is the key to smooth operations in any industry.
Choosing the right managed file transfer (MFT) solution should therefore be a priority. You want to be sure that your MFT solution makes your life easier, supports your regulatory and data privacy requirements, and gives you confidence that files will arrive on time and intact.

The consequences of choosing the wrong solution range from the disruptive – failed transfers and workflows – to the serious – compliance breaches and fines. In this blog, we outline what to consider when evaluating different MFT solutions and provide advice on what features are non-negotiable. 

The benefits of managed file transfer

First, for those of you starting your search, let’s look at the benefits of MFT software solutions. Managed file transfer and data exchange solutions go beyond standard file transfer protocol (FTP). They not only give you peace of mind that your data is kept safe – whether stored or in transit – it gives you control and visibility over your files.

With MFT, you can share files with business partners and customers online securely, no matter their location. Plus, you’ll make sure this part of your data handling is completely compliant. Better yet, MFT solutions can do all of the heavy lifting for you, reducing the time and maintenance you have to commit to file sharing.

6 essential capabilities to look for in an MFT solution

Data security

Securing your sensitive data and files is essential during file transfer – whether you’re sending or receiving. End-to-end encryption using HTTPS, SFTP or other methods can give you peace of mind with every transfer. Some managed file transfer software will allow you to put other security protocols in place for extra protection. For example, secure password rules, user permissions or control over where data is shared and stored.

This is especially important for sensitive data such as that held by health, government or other industries. Reviewing a solution’s file transfer protocols is the first step to choosing the right solution.

Real-time transfers

Ease of use and speed are key when it comes to MFT solutions. You want to be sure that if you send an important file, it gets to its destination on time. You also don’t want complex or large file transfers to cause you to miss strict time windows.

Check whether your solution offers large file transfer or high-speed data transfer to ensure that no matter what you’re sending – databases, social data or other Big Data – it’s done securely, fast and compliantly.

Similarly, international transfer can affect speed. Solutions like Maytech’s Quatrix promise fast file transfer of any size to anywhere in the world, so your workflows are never disrupted.

Regulatory compliance

Whether you need to comply with GDPR, HIPAA or PCI, managed file transfer solutions play a key role in keeping you and your organisation compliant. Your solution should be regulatory compliant with any key legislation that your entity is required to maintain.

Audit trails

Audit trails give you visibility over both compliance and data security. These features track all user activity, such as downloads, access times, and more. Choosing a robust MFT solution that will track the data you transfer and record file activity will give you visibility over this information when you need it.

Automated file transfer

Data sharing processes can be complex. An MFT solution that enables you to create automated workflows can relieve you of this burden. If you’re looking for seamless transfers, or don’t have the resource to dedicate to this, a no-code solution can manage all follow-on actions, file syncing and other actions seamlessly – so you don’t have to. 

Learn more about the benefits of an automated approach to file sharing today.

Integrations

Integrations enable you to use external software services with the same security promised by your MFT solution. Check what connectors, APIs and integrations your chosen solution provides. This can also help with automating workflows across solutions.

Other considerations when choosing an MFT

Business processes

How often you are sharing files, and whether this is internal or external, may affect your solution choice. What are your daily file sharing or data transfer requirements? Do you need a solution which will accommodate a high volume? Would you need large file transfer capabilities?

Cloud-based or on-premises

Some organisations host their MFT themselves, while others provide cloud-hosted platforms. As more organisations go cloud-based for their digital infrastructure, having an MFT solution should be capable of supporting this. This makes your file sharing faster, more flexible, and accommodates all sizes of files. 

Cloud solutions can also come with online management consoles to give you greater control. For example, our MFT solutions use SFTP fully-managed systems to replace internal management. 

Product roadmap

The vendor providing your MFT solution will also affect your choice. You want a solution which is constantly being maintained and updated, so you can always be sure you have the strongest solution at your disposal. Ask potential vendors about their product roadmap. Do they have innovative updates planned? Or are they only planning to fix existing bugs? Testimonials, case studies, and user reviews are all helpful here.

Platform management and support

Similarly, having a team on hand to provide support will ensure you are deploying and using your MFT product effectively. A 24/7 support team, for customer service and technical support, is essential to maintaining a robust file transfer system.

Implementation time and ease of use

Playing a frontline role in data privacy and security, putting a robust MFT solution in place can’t wait. You want a solution which can be quickly set up and configured to your needs. 

The same should be said for your contract – look for something flexible that works for you and your changing requirements. Equally, a solution should be easy to use for your team and provide a better experience to your customers. Streamlined processes and automated workflows will help with a seamless adoption.

Managed File Transfer you can rely on

Maytech provides professional, secure and easy-to-use file sharing and workflow automation for organisations around the globe. 

Our diverse portfolio of solutions are centrally managed and completely compliant to all major data sharing legislation. With 24/7 customer support, and a long history of providing successful solutions to leading organisations, you can trust us to take accountability for your secure file sharing, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Read More: 6 Reasons Why Managed File Transfer is Better than FTP