WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition

Features and benefits

IBM WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 will provide a reliable managed file transfer solution for moving files - regardless of their size - between IT systems.

Overview

• Reliable managed file transfer (MFT) using WebSphere MQ
• Enable consolidation of messaging and file transfer infrastructure into single backbone
• Provide bulk transfer of files, regardless of size
• Record log of transfer activity for audit purposes
• Offer automation and control of file movement between IT systems
• Extend MQ Explorer graphical interface for remotely configuring transfers and monitoring progress
• Optional scripting support for programmatic control of transfers
• SOA-ready approach enabling files to be transferred onto Enterprise Service Buses (ESBs)
• Enables MFT across a combined MQ and Connect:Direct solution
• Transfers files into and out of existing Connect:Direct networks
• Visibility of files that transfer into and out of existing Connect:Direct network
• Supports IBM AIX, HP-UX, Linux on x86, Linux on System z, Oracle Solaris, Microsoft Windows, and z/OS operating systems. Full details on Systems Requiements page

Integration with IBM Sterling Connect Direct
WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition allows organizations to create a comprehensive Managed File Transfer environment, allowing transfers into and out of MQ FTE to C:D endpoints. The end result is a solution which allows the business to leverage its existing internal MFT (MQ FTE) and external MFT (Connect:Direct) reducing cost and supporting integration across a single messaging backbone.

Help Reduce IT Costs
Many organisations are devoting precious IT resources to building and maintaining systems in-house for moving data as files between applications. Most of these solutions are based on File Transfer Protocol (FTP) due to it being simple and freely-available. Whilst FTP is well suited for file sharing, where several applications access an occasionally updated, centrally-managed source file, many organizations are seeking alternatives for files that are transferred between applications as part of business processes. As volumes of transfers rapidly grow and with increased consequences for errors in business data being incorrectly transferred, having a reliable, flexible, cost-effective solution for Managed File Transfer is as critical as ever for organizations of all sizes. Industry analysts note the proliferation of home-grown FTP-based approaches to moving files:

"Our shocking research finding was that custom-built, in-house, hard-coded AI [Application Integration] solutions (a majority using free FTP software) have been the most widely-used approach. Such links take 2 to 4 times as much time/effort to build... and need similar multifold maintenance/support efforts. They are also insecure, fragile, and vulnerable. Enterprises relying heavily on this approach (as it seems many still do) have built intrinsically weak links into their application infrastructure. They have also wasted precious development/support resources needlessly."

Software Strategies: Vendor Middleware-based Integration Beats Custom In-house Solutions, Provides On-ramp for SOA Era.

File Transfer Backbone
WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition provides a file transfer backbone that can help simplify configuration, administration and auditing. Source and target systems do not need to be directly connected to transfer files. File transfer destinations can be configured that are not directly connected to the configuration tooling and the source of the file. WebSphere MQ uses its resolution of remote queue managers to determine the appropriate path for the file data to take. Within WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition, appropriate names can be configured for destinations that are understandable by non-WebSphere MQ skilled users e.g. "Head Office". The Backbone determines the path across network between Source and Target destinations. WebSphere MQ utilizes this built-in characteristic of WebSphere MQ transport enabling files to be transferred from any point on the Backbone to any other point. This characteristic enables files to be moved and tracked over multiple-hops across Backbone as opposed to coordinating or auditing a series of single-hops. It enables control and monitoring from any point even via intermediate points in the Backbone. Audit logs of transfers are captured at the actual, logical Source and Target rather than having to piece audit trail together from a series of disconnected transfers. A backbone provides opportunity to intelligently route file traffic depending on availability, performance, or other such parameters.

Auditable File Transfers at Source and Target
WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0.4 provides a log of file movements that can enable businesses to demonstrate that business data in files in being transferred with integrity from source to target file system. The audit log can be subscribed to by multiple queue managers and hence stored in multiple places. The audit log can be viewed remotely using plug-ins supplied for WebSphere MQ Explorer. It will also be possible to register one or more applications as subscribers to the audit logs, which can in turn take the log records data and persist this to a destination of choice for example loading the audit log into a SQL database.

Ad Hoc File Transfers
WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0.4 enables ad hoc transfers to be driven by Users from RESTful Web 2.0 applications as well as its Eclipse graphical tooling or automated such as being scheduled to occur at predetermined times, or triggered by a range of file system events such as when a new file is created in a directory. In addition to the Eclipse-based graphical tooling, developers can create and initiate all types of transfer through programmatic and scriptable interfaces.

Reliable File Transfers
Reliable File Transfer can help reduce business disruption by helping preserve integrity of file data. The basic FTP protocol lacks capability need to ensure data is delivered. Basic FTP offers no integrity checking on the receiver side and no way of verifying whether files received are complete or not. A checkpoint/restart mechanism enables files transfer interruptions to be detected and retried automatically until success without manual intervention. IBM Managed File Transfer starts with industrys leading connectivity backbone WebSphere MQ. The MQ transport has reliability built-in based on patented technology and well-grounded two-phase commit techniques. MQ is already entrusted by 10,000 client sites worldwide moving $trillions worth of data every day and proven for reliability as the leader in messaging connectivity for over 15 years.

Time-Independent File Transfers
Time-Independent File Transfer can help improve the productivity of applications that produce and consume files. It enables file transfer to take place regardless of when solution components are free or available. Applications transferring files can assume that the sender, receiver & network will always be constantly available, even though applications may be busy, unavailable or disconnected for example due to a network failure. This asynchronous behaviour is a core characteristic of the WebSphere MQ transport enabling looser coupling between elements of an IT architecture. Sender applications do not need the receiver to be available in order to send files to the remote machine. Sender applications can continue doing useful work while files are being transferred. The Backbone handles network interruptions & recovers transfer once network resumes. Senders & receivers can continue useful work without waiting for transfers to finish.

Event-Driven File Transfers
Event-Driven File Transfer enables flexible distribution of file data, audit logs, progress and alerts. The destination of files and transfer status, progress and audit data can be determined dynamically based on applications registering interest. This capability leverages publish/subscribe technology built into WebSphere MQ. It can help provide easier configuration, enabling source and target destinations for file transfer to be discovered automatically by the tooling environment, by publishing their presence and details to the Coordination Centre. It can also enable event-driven alerting by broadcasting relevant status and audit log information to interested applications and tooling. Such information can be broadcast to multiple locations providing backups of audit logs for example.

Centralized Configuration
WebSphere MQ Explorer the Eclipse-based graphical tooling for MQ provides a logically centralized configuration of remote, distributed backbone. It enables users to remotely view and configure their entire MQ backbone including on z/OS. WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition will provide graphical tooling integrated into the WebSphere MQ Explorer environment, extending the scope of this tooling to include file transfer configuration, audit logs and progress status. WebSphere MQ Explorer and its plug-ins for file transfer will be supported on Linux x86 and Microsoft Windows. MQ Explorer can be used remotely to configure WebSphere MQ, and its file transfer plug-ins will enable it to remotely configure and track file transfers.

Zero coding
A zero coding approach can help accelerate solution deployment and reduce skills requirements enabling infrastructure to be leveraged across more departments. WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition will provide graphical configuration tooling, based on WebSphere MQ Explorer, will enable quick and easy definition of transfers without the need for programming. This enables users who are not familiar with the concepts of integration middleware or messaging software to make use of it for file transfer.

Monitoring File Transfers
WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 will capture file transfer status and display current status in a dashboard remotely via its graphical tooling interface. Transfer status and progress messages can be subscribed to by applications enabling bespoke progress monitors to be written, or for specific reaction to events such a stalled transfer to be developed by the client.

Scripting for Programmatic Control
For advanced users a scripting language will be provided to enable automated, programmatic control of transfers. WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 will provide a series of commands that can be invoked from the supported Operating Systems shell environment. Developers can use any native scripting language on the OS that can invoke these commands.

Incrementally Expands WebSphere MQ
On distributed platforms licenses with be available to trade up from WebSphere MQ to WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 which contains full licenses for WebSphere MQ V7.0. Having traded-up, there is no need to re-install WebSphere MQ, provided the version is supported by WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0. WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 will support WebSphere MQ V6.0 and WebSphere MQ V7.0. On IBM System z IBMs clients using z/OS, WebSphere MQ for z/OS will be a pre-requisite for WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition for z/OS V7.0.

Consolidated Transport Backbone
Messaging-based Managed File Transfer enables organizations that are running separate mechanisms for files, documents and messaging traffic to consolidate on a single transport capable of handling all types of traffic. Using a single reliable backbone can help achieve operational efficiencies by reducing the need to deploy and manage separate parallel networks for messages and files. WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 will provide a combined solution for transferring messages and files via a single consolidated infrastructure. This can help deliver a one-two punch solving todays file transfer problem while building a foundation for the future. The WebSphere MQ family can offer a single universal connectivity backbone for messages bringing together files and documents, messages, service interactions, events and Web 2.0 traffic.

Bringing Files to ESBs
WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition will complement IBMs portfolio of Enterprise Service Buses (ESBs) enabling files and documents to be delivered reliably to and from ESBs. This enables ESB capabilities including mediation, transforming and routing to be applied to files. IBM WebSphere Message Broker V6.1 offers comprehensive file processing capabilities these do not provide Managed File Transfer but complement it with transformation, mediation and enrichment specifically designed for file data. WebSphere Message Broker can apply these processing capabilities to files whether these have been transferred to local file system of the Broker via Managed File Transfer, FTP or some other mechanism. WebSphere Message Broker provides native support for large file processing to simplify processing of large, repeating complex file records without using excessive storage. Files can be delivered to WebSphere Message Broker V6.1 via FTP or as a Managed File Transfer using WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0. For more details on file processing capabilities in WebSphere Message Broker V6.1 please refer to the following announcement letters: IBM WebSphere Message Broker V6.1 and IBM WebSphere Message Broker for z/OS V6.1.

 

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