Comparing AWS Transfer Family and Axway MFT in the Cloud Era

Summary

Sources

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The managed file transfer service sector is under a transformative phase, with a surge in the deployment of cloud solutions. AWS Transfer Family and Axway MFT stand out as two prominent providers in this domain. Axways strategic alignment with AWS is evident through its status as an AWS Advanced Technology Partner, a distinction shared by only seven global partners. This partnership underscores Axways dual competency in healthcare and life sciences and its presence in the AWS Marketplace. Despite this collaboration, the perception of competition between Axway and AWS persists, particularly when it comes to file transfer capabilities. As businesses pivot towards cloud storage, a common question arises: why not simply utilize AWSs file transfer services? However, AWS Transfer Family and Axway MFT serve different scopes within the managed file transfer landscape. AWS Transfer Family caters to a specific, developer-centric need, without addressing the broader requirements of enterprise file transfer operations. In contrast, Axway MFT brings to the table a suite of features that cater to the rigorous demands of modern enterprises. Taking a closer look at AWS Transfer Family, the service offers SFTP, FTPS, and AS2 server hosting, and a set of basic post-upload workflow options, including copy, tagging, and deletion capabilities. It shines in providing a fully managed server environment with native cloud storage integration, making it suitable for straightforward cloud-storage file transfers. However, its limitations are notable, particularly its unsuitability for environments that blend cloud and on-premises solutions and its lack of basic MFT processing features. Conversely, Axway Managed File Transfer is a comprehensive solution that includes multiple server and client protocols, cloud connectors, and an extensive, no-code user interface for file orchestration. It supports a broad array of file transformations and offers centralized management of partners and access. Its RESTful APIs facilitate automation and external administration, and a centralized logging system ensures transparency across all file transfers. The benefits of Axway MFTs zero downtime architecture are significant, eliminating the need for cloud engineers to perform low-value setup tasks and providing holistic vendor support. Built-in enterprise features and use case coverage allow for central control of the MFT configuration without the need for coding or unexpected costs, thus enabling businesses to focus on their operations rather than on managing AWS services. Additionally, Axway MFTs flexibility allows it to operate independently of the cloud provider. In terms of enterprise-wide file transfer and use case coverage, Axways cloud offering is fully flexible. The only noted weakness is the need for coding to extend its framework, yet the robust out-of-the-box capabilities suffice for most customers. The script would carry on to explore the implications of building an MFT solution using AWS services versus utilizing Axway MFT, with a detailed analysis of challenges, potential hidden costs, and the user-friendly, no-code experience offered by Axway MFT with comprehensive visibility, reporting, and monitoring capabilities. This sets the stage for businesses to make an informed decision on optimizing their file transfer processes, ensuring they select a solution that aligns with their strategic and operational objectives. Managed File Transfer, commonly referred to as MFT, is a service that enables the secure transfer of data between systems within an organization or between business partners. It is a critical component in modern business operations, ensuring that data exchanges are reliable, secure, and compliant with industry regulations. MFT solutions provide a more robust and secure approach to file transfer compared to traditional methods such as FTP, which lack advanced security features and often do not meet compliance standards. As businesses increasingly migrate to the cloud, MFT services have evolved to meet new challenges. Cloud computing has introduced scalability and flexibility into business operations, but it has also brought complexities in managing data transfers across diverse environments. The integration of cloud-based services with on-premises systems, adherence to data privacy regulations, and ensuring high availability are a few of the challenges that modern MFT solutions strive to address. AWS Transfer Family and Axway MFT have emerged as two key players in the MFT space, each with its unique approach to tackling these challenges. AWS Transfer Family presents a cloud-native solution, offering a fully managed environment that integrates seamlessly with AWS storage services like Amazon S3. It is designed to be an efficient choice for businesses already operating within the AWS ecosystem, promoting a developer-centric model that simplifies basic file transfer workflows. On the other hand, Axway MFT stands out with its comprehensive set of features that support a wide array of protocols and offer no-code orchestration capabilities. This solution is not only geared towards cloud environments but also adeptly handles mixed scenarios, bridging cloud and on-premises infrastructures. Axway MFTs centralized control and extensive enterprise feature set position it as a solution that can meet the demands of complex, multi-faceted organizations. As the segment progresses, the focus will shift to a deeper examination of the AWS Transfer Family and Axway MFT, highlighting how each service addresses the evolving needs of managed file transfer and the particular strengths they bring to businesses navigating the modern digital landscape. Continuing the exploration of managed file transfer solutions, the AWS Transfer Family warrants a detailed examination. This service suite from Amazon Web Services offers features such as SFTP, FTPS, and AS2 server hosting—fundamental protocols for secure file transfers. The provision of basic post-upload workflow options, including copying, tagging, deletion, archival, and the execution of custom AWS Lambda code, allows for a degree of automation and integration within the AWS ecosystem. The benefits of the AWS Transfer Family are significant for certain use cases. The fully-managed servers ensure high availability and zero downtime, which is crucial for businesses that require constant uptime for their file transfer operations. The integration with native AWS cloud storage solutions, such as Amazon S3, provides a seamless storage experience that leverages AWSs scalable infrastructure. However, when it comes to the limitations of AWS Transfer Family, certain aspects are worth considering. For organizations that operate in mixed environments, which combine cloud resources with on-premises systems, the AWS Transfer Family may not be the most suitable choice. This is primarily because the service is optimized for a cloud-native setup, and its capabilities might not seamlessly extend to on-premises infrastructure. Additionally, AWS Transfer Family does not inherently possess the advanced managed file transfer processing features that are often necessary for complex enterprise workflows. Basic operations such as encoding, PGP encryption, file renaming, and data compression are not part of the out-of-the-box feature set. For businesses that require these advanced functionalities, additional development and integration work using other AWS services would be necessary, potentially leading to increased complexity and maintenance overhead. In summary, while the AWS Transfer Family offers a robust platform for straightforward, cloud-native file transfers within the AWS ecosystem, it may not fully address the broader, more intricate needs of enterprises that have a mix of cloud and on-premises environments or require advanced MFT features. As organizations evaluate their MFT needs, these considerations are essential to determining the right solution that aligns with their operational requirements and strategic goals. Shifting focus to Axway MFT, this solution stands as a comprehensive alternative in the managed file transfer space. Axway MFTs robust feature set includes support for an extensive range of server and client protocols, ensuring compatibility and seamless data exchange across diverse IT ecosystems. The inclusion of cloud connectors further enhances its ability to interface with various cloud storage platforms, facilitating a smooth integration in multi-cloud environments. One of the pivotal features of Axway MFT is its no-code file orchestration. This feature empowers users to configure complex file transfer workflows through a user-friendly interface, which significantly reduces the need for specialized programming skills and accelerates the setup process. The orchestration capabilities allow for the handling of file transformations, including PGP encryption, data compression, file renaming, and other critical MFT tasks, without writing a single line of code. The zero downtime architecture of Axway MFT is another key benefit, ensuring uninterrupted service and file transfer continuity, a critical requirement for organizations that demand high availability. The centralized management console offers a single point of control for all file transfer configurations, simplifying administration and reducing the potential for configuration errors. The enterprise feature set built into Axway MFT covers a spectrum of use cases, from B2B file exchanges to ad-hoc transfers, catering to the varied needs of businesses. However, while Axway MFT is a robust and fully-featured solution, potential weaknesses should be considered. If a business needs to extend the solution beyond its comprehensive out-of-the-box capabilities, coding may be required. This could involve the addition of custom processing steps, protocols, or authentication methods. Nonetheless, its important to note that the vast majority of customers find the existing capabilities sufficient for their needs, which speaks to the completeness and versatility of the solution. In conclusion, Axway MFT offers a powerful platform that addresses the multifaceted demands of modern enterprise file transfer operations. Its no-code orchestration, combined with a zero downtime architecture and a centralized management approach, positions Axway MFT as a compelling choice for organizations looking for a scalable and maintainable MFT solution. Despite the potential need for custom coding in certain scenarios, the solutions robust out-of-the-box feature set is typically more than adequate to meet the needs of most enterprises. When constructing a managed file transfer solution, the choice between AWS services and Axway MFT is contingent on several factors that affect the build process, ongoing maintenance, and overall user experience. Building an MFT solution with AWS services requires a thorough understanding of AWSs specific components and how they integrate. This approach may demand the continuous development and integration of a variety of AWS services. For example, to achieve password authentication, one must develop a solution using AWS API Gateway and Lambda functions, in conjunction with AWS Secrets Manager or a database service. Moreover, ensuring directory-level permissions and user isolation involves creating and managing a database schema. As for file processing, additional AWS services such as EventBridge may be necessary to trigger workflows, while AWS Lambda functions are required for custom file processing logic. Such a custom build with AWS services not only results in a complex architecture but may also introduce potential hidden costs. The initial investment in development time and the ongoing need for maintenance and updates to handle evolving business requirements can be substantial. Furthermore, as traffic volume grows, the cost of scaling AWS resources to handle increased load could impact the total cost of ownership. This complexity and potential cost escalation must be factored into the decision when opting for an AWS-based MFT solution. In contrast, Axway MFT offers a user-friendly, no-code experience that significantly streamlines the setup and management of file transfer workflows. The solutions UI-driven approach allows business users to manage and configure file transfers without the need for deep technical expertise. This autonomy not only reduces dependency on IT staff but also accelerates the implementation of file transfer processes. Comprehensive visibility is another cornerstone of Axway MFT. It provides end-to-end monitoring of file transfers, along with reporting and dashboard capabilities that cater to different stakeholders, including MFT operations, business users, and auditors. This level of transparency is essential for quickly identifying and resolving issues, ensuring operational efficiency, and maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. The built-in alerting mechanisms in Axway MFT notify relevant parties of successful, failed, or missed transfers, enabling prompt action when necessary. Collectively, these features amount to a robust managed file transfer platform that emphasizes ease of use, reliability, and accountability. To summarize, while AWS offers a customizable set of services that can be tailored to specific MFT needs, the associated challenges and hidden costs of such an endeavor can be significant. Conversely, Axway MFT delivers a ready-to-use, enterprise-grade solution that reduces complexity and offers a predictable cost structure. For organizations that prioritize quick deployment, ease of use, and comprehensive visibility and control over their file transfers, Axway MFT emerges as the preferred choice.