Our website is increasingly important to how we communicate and help each other.  This article describes one of the services on our site known as Secure File Transfer and is accessed by clicking the button on the website titled Secure FTP.  This service is being increasingly used as it replaces 3 other means of file transfer, namely, e-mail attachments, floppy disks (CDs), and memory sticks.  Plus you need only go to our site to transfer files rather than generate an e-mail, burn a CD, or copy the file and deliver a memory stick.

Secure FTP's main role is to make the transfer of files to and from us both far more predictable, guaranteed and secure.  The need for this service exists because many of our clients have files they want to send but they're too big for e-mail attachments or need more security than e-mails, floppy disks or memory sticks can ever provide.  

For example, e-mails with an attachment greater than 2.5 Mbt are increasingly problematic in regard to getting to the intended recipient because of issues such as SPAM law compliance, Server timeouts, the number of Internet nodes they pass through, and unauthorised access.  Also, it's not unknown for e-mails with large attachments to simply disappear, with the sender not knowing it hasn't arrived and the intended recipient not knowing it was sent until they receive a phone call.  A siutation that's far from satisfactory but using Secure FTP removes it completely. 

The only thing to keep in mind is that your Internet connection has an upload speed that's most likely 3-5 times slower than your download speed.  As such, uploading files isn't a lot quicker than an old dial-up connection.  The point is that a 30 Mbt file might take an hour or more to upload, so you need to keep this in mind when it appears nothing has happened after a few minutes.  All will be working, it just needs time to complete the task.

Secure FTP works by encrypting your file while uploading and reversing the process when downloading.  Should a file be compromised during this process then the encryption seeks to ensure it is of no value to whoever compromised it.  After 3 days the file itself is destroyed which adds extra security because transferred files aren't sitting around in e-mail systems, on CDs or on memory sticks.

To be able to use the Secure FTP facility on our website you need to obtain a Username and Password from us.  If you'd like to be part of this system then please call to discuss it further. 

Source:  PlannerWeb