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What Can Go Wrong with a Legacy File Transfer System

When a hand-me-down or legacy system of file transfer makes its way into your organization’s IT environment, many things can go wrong.

1. Productivity can decline

When you inherit a file transfer technology, you may be at a disadvantage if things go wrong. If you are running customized scripts, processes, or workflows and you have no documentation to reference, you may need to resort to the “sit-and-wait approach," hoping that nothing breaks.

However, this approach is not conducive to a secure, reliable, and productive IT ecosystem. In fact, this type of situation can leave an organization particularly vulnerable to inefficiencies and declines in productivity. The business landscape is competitive and moves at a rapid pace, leaders want a well-oiled machine that can support agility and efficiency.

A better solution: A centralized location to manage, secure, and monitor your file transfer process. With many hand-me-down or legacy systems of file transfer, there may not be a centralized, user-friendly dashboard. There might even be multiple, non-integrated technologies, servers, and applications to maneuver around, which can further complicate the challenge of keeping key processes and workflows in motion.

Related Reading: You Inherited a File Transfer System. Now What?

2. Security can weaken

Security of a handed-down system can be another major source of concern. When you inherit a file transfer system, you don’t have the valuable opportunity to vet the technology or document every workflow, which means you have to be extremely proactive about seeking out and identifying all of your security vulnerabilities. In many cases, these inherited file transfer systems suffer long periods of neglect and need updates.

The threat landscape is constantly evolving and dynamic, with business leaders pushing IT for a system that is robust and comprehensive, ready to mitigate security risks, and minimize vulnerabilities. When your file transfer system is in question, that may expose a rather large security gap. Hackers and cybercriminals are actively seeking ways to exploit any potential security gap.

Related Reading: What to do with Your Hand-Me-Down File Transfer System

3. Compliance requirements may be difficult.

If your hand-me-down or legacy file transfer system is a disparate combination of several different file transfer protocols, then you are challenged with securing visibility and control over your critical components. This can make your system vulnerable to security and compliance risks and makes it very difficult to audit.

Try logging into various systems, technologies, and applications, and then run multiple reports with your legacy solution. Can you do this within the strict compliance-mandated time periods? If not, it’s time to look into a more secure way to manage your file transfers.

MFT Upgrades hand-me-down file transfer systems

Modern managed file transfer (MFT) software provides a centralized mechanism for users to manage their file transfers with greater efficiency, reliability, and security.

Compared to homegrown or outdated file transfer systems, today’s MFT platforms provide a higher degree of governance and control, enabling low- or no-code automation for complex workflows and operational visibility.

MFT users can manage their IT productivity and compliance requirements more efficiently with respect to business resources and business demands.  Adding further benefit, using a modern MFT solution helps:

  1. Provide multi-layered security, reducing your security vulnerabilities and risks
  2. Streamline complex file transfer workflows and processes
  3. Increase IT flexibility and responsiveness
  4. Facilitate security compliance

Moving on From Legacy File Transfer

If you are the “lucky” heir to an outdated file transfer system, it can quickly complicate your responsibilities with security, reliability, and efficiency issues. The system’s high maintenance and a constant drain on resources can sap your departments resources. But there’s help.

Globalscape’s file transfer guide, can help you learn more about:

  • Common file transfer systems and processes
  • Tools and strategies to help overcome hand-me-down file transfer systems
  • What to look for in modern and secure file transfer system

Download MFT Guide