___________________________________________________________________________________________
(from Front page)
It took me a while to figure out how Managed File Transfer (MFT) was going to provide benefit to companies. My first take when I first saw the promotions was that all files are managed, so why do you need it? I called Lori Folta from BIT (Business Integration Technology) to help me understand the process. After a conversation with Lori, I have changed my outlook. Everyone should consider MFT for their company (Retailer, Vendor and 3PLs alike). As best as I can re-state it: MFT is a system which manages all the files your company sends and receives. By ‘manage’ we mean increased visibility into security, provide complete audit, score carding monitoring and more.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“ALL” documents including:
• ACH transfers
• EDI
• XML
• Check images
• Client data
• PLM
• And MANY others
You easily see why this has become a hot topic. By providing a single, secure door into which all data passes in and out of your company you have done quite a bit to protect the data in addition to consolidating the process of doing so. “Back in the day” we used to say EDI was all about B2B integration. MFT adds a dynamic to the conversation whereby we really have to say EDI is just one part of what’s possible.
Here is a diagram that should be universally accepted regardless of whose system you purchase. The only difference would be if you chose to buy the software or use a SaaS (Hosted system).
If we pick on just about any multi-channel manufacturer, retailer or many large retail suppliers we can easily look into their environment and see they may be running an online store which integrates with not only financial services (banks, credit, etc.), but also may be using a PLM system like Siemens to transfer CAD files, packaging art, etc. This doesn’t include XML or other data coming into their ERP. With each of the file types and associated trading partners a company has, so their vulnerability increases as does the difficulty in managing auditing and policy compliance. MFT becomes a game changer for IT staff who want one central provider to manage ALL inbound or outbound information.
We will be talking to more people about MFT in the near future and would like to get your comments. Has your organization moved in this direction? Is it planning to?
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|