BlueFinch-ESBD

GoAnywhere Spring Bootcamp

Carlijne Ultzen — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:24:07 +0000

Strengthen the resilience of your GoAnywhere platform!

This new edition will take place online on Wednesday, May 21st 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and continues from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

🖥️ It will be hosted online in English by our very own GoAnywhere MFT experts.

The participation fee is €1.200,- excluding VAT per company, and includes a limit of two employees.

Don’t miss this opportunity, as places are limited!

Learning methodology and lessons

This training course includes multiple-choice questions to assess your knowledge, live demonstrations, question and answer sessions, and role-playing exercises to put what you have learned into practice.

Here are the different lessons in this training course:

Workflow workshop: methodology, design and best practices
Transfer automation: understanding job queues, triggers and schedulers
Error management: log reporting
MFT health: indicators and checks to perform

Not registered yet?

Here are three reasons to participate in this training course:

Price: unbeatable value, this session costs €1,200 per company with a maximum of two participants. What’s more, the session is online, so there are no travel costs.
Benefits: this training course will enable your employees to develop their technical and advanced skills in the GoAnywhere MFT solution.
Networking: this boot camp will bring together different companies with similar interests, providing an excellent opportunity for networking and making contacts.

So book now! First come, first served.

Signing up couldn’t be easier. Simply fill in the form below. Our specialists will contact you with further details.

Register

How does Threpoly observability software work with the GoAnywhere MFT file transfer solution?

Éloïse Gruber — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:31:47 +0000

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of how the GoAnywhere MFT file transfer platform works with the Threpoly SaaS observability solution.

What is observability software?

It’s an application system for monitoring, analysing and understanding the state of an existing system.

Today, observability tools play an important role in measuring infrastructure performance and security.

As solutions become increasingly complex, observability software helps you to quickly identify the causes of malfunctions within the system. They also enable companies to predict what might be malfunctioning, so they can make better decisions.

These technological tools can become a real asset for detection and resolution, so you can act before it’s too late.

Threpoly

Threpoly is 100% cloud observability software dedicated to Managed File Transfer (MFT) and EDI solutions.

The software is solution-independent, allowing it to work with any MFT or EDI platform. Threpoly uses globally distributed agents to measure system performance.

You can replicate real-world activity through synthetic user testing, identify transaction-level problems and report anomalies and failures in real time using automated alerts.

Threpoly provides visibility and proactive monitoring of SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS and AS2 transfer protocols.

Fonctionnalities

Security score

Threpoly evaluates security and performance: encryption algorithms, authentication methods, availability and version updates to provide an overall score. The security score allows you to recommend improvements to maintain a good security posture and to be notified in the event of changes or degradations.

Live performance monitor

This is an overview of what’s happening with your file transfers in real time. Threpoly analyses the connection stages, giving you visibility of service availability, download speed and problem location.

Predictive analysis

The solution enables congestion to be forecast, so that bottlenecks can be avoided and the necessary resources allocated. Threpoly identifies recurring problems.

With key time markers, you can see the before and after of environment changes such as upgrades, patches, and configuration.

File SLA monitoring

Threpoly monitors the arrival of critical files, ensuring that third parties receive files when expected. Avoid business disruptions and set up notifications when files don’t arrive when expected.

5 key benefits

Increased reliability

Anticipate and correct incidents before they impact users, reducing downtime and ensuring optimum system availability.

More efficient troubleshooting

Quickly identify the root causes of malfunctions and resolve them in the long term, thanks to an in-depth understanding of system behaviour.

Optimise performance

Identify opportunities for improvement, such as bottlenecks or under-utilised resources, to optimise resource allocation and increase overall performance.

Data-driven decision making

Access reliable, real-time information on system performance and utilisation, facilitating informed decisions and continuous improvement.

Reduce operational costs

Reduce the costs of incidents, over-utilization of resources and unplanned interventions by optimizing system operation and maintenance.

GoAnywhere MFT in action with the Threpoly observability solution

This chapter provides an overview of GoAnywhere MFT dashboards and screenshots, and draws parallels with Threpoly.

The GoAnywhere MFT vs Threpoly dashboard

Here’s the iconic GoAnywhere dashboard, giving you an instant look at what’s going on.

Threpoly also has an activity view for GoAnywhere.

Security on the GoAnywhere MFT platform and Threpoly

As we saw earlier, Threpoly provides visibility of security health and performance.

Information about GoAnywhere algorithms, for example, can be found in the security parameters.

Threpoly will translate this into a security score and algorithm recommendations.

Outage detection on GoAnywhere MFT and Threpoly

Outage detection will be reflected in the log view in GoAnywhere and more specifically in the status and remarks filter.

Threpoly will show the fault graphically, along with information about the fault.

Transfer latency for GoAnywhere MFT and Threpoly

Here again, latency is reflected in the logs and the time in milliseconds.

With Threpoly you’ll be able to inspect latency and what it’s linked to.

Forecast

The forecasts at GoAnywhere will not change as such. It will be the same as the log screen shown above.

Threpoly will predict performance based on logs and their latencies in order to anticipate possible failures.

Threpoly is a highly intuitive solution that’s easy to learn. In less than 30 minutes of demonstration, you can have a complete overview of the solution and its functionalities.

Webinar: From Operational Complexity to Full Visibility with Threpoly

Carlijne Ultzen — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:03:41 +0000

Join our webinar

March 26th
30 – 45 minutes

BlueFinch-ESBD and Threpoly invite you to a joint webinar focused on how organisations can gain control, visibility and measurable business value from their file-transfer and data-exchange landscape.

Many organisations rely on file transfers that have grown organically over time, spread across tools, teams and environments. This often leads to limited visibility, higher operational risk and missed opportunities to optimise processes. In this webinar, we’ll show how this challenge can be turned into a strategic advantage.

What you’ll learn

How to gain end-to-end visibility across all file transfers and integrations
How better monitoring and governance reduce operational risk and compliance issues
How to move from reactive troubleshooting to proactive, data-driven decision-making
An introduction to the Threpoly platform and how it helps centralise, analyse and manage file-transfer activity across your organisation

Who should attend

This webinar is aimed atMFT Administrators, Integration Specialists, Senior Manager IT Tech Ops, EDI Senior Consultant, IT DirectorIT Team – MFT Admin Team who want better insight into their data flows and the business impact behind them.

Whether you are managing complex file-transfer environments or looking for ways to improve transparency and efficiency, this session will give you practical insights and a clear understanding of how Threpoly and BlueFinch-ESBD can help.

Check out the replay

Webinar: Discover EU-hosted MFTaaS – Guaranteed data sovereignty

Carlijne Ultzen — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:02:57 +0000

Join our webinar

24th February
30-45 minutes

We are excited to invite you to a joint webinar by BlueFinch-ESBD and Cegeka, unveiling our brand-new MFT service: MFTaaS (Managed File Transfer as a Service).

How BlueFinch-ESBD & Cegeka help you take control of secure file transfers

Data sovereignty, compliance, and security don’t just influence your IT systems. They are, or at least should be, strategic business priorities. Organizations across industries are under growing pressure to keep sensitive data under control, compliant, and available, without adding operational complexity.

In this webinar, BlueFinch-ESBD and Cegeka invite you to explore how our joint MFTaaS offering helps you achieve exactly that.

Why you should attend

Rather than focusing on technology alone, we’ll look at the business outcomes:

What data sovereignty really means in the current regulatory and geopolitical landscape

How a trusted, local, and compliant MFT platform can reduce risk and increase confidence

What it means to have a partner that works shoulder to shoulder with you, from design to daily operations

How this service can support your organization’s growth, resilience, and compliance goals

We’ll also walk you through the basic framework of the combined service, explaining how Cegeka’s secure infrastructure and BlueFinch-ESBD’s MFT expertise come together to deliver:

A fully managed, secure file transfer service

Clear responsibilities, governance, and support

A scalable and future-proof foundation aligned with current and emerging data security trends

Who should attend

This webinar is for IT-professionals, data- and compliance-officers, enterprise architects, and any decision-makers involved in data exchanges and file-transfer workflows. Whether you’re looking to modernise existing processes or exploring new MFT solutions, this session is for you.

We look forward to your participation!

About the presenters

Jan Simons

Jan Simons is a Design Authority within the Application & Integration Management team at Cegeka. He safeguards the technical architecture and quality of Cegeka’s services and support customers with complex IT challenges. Application & Integration Management includes, among other things, Managed File Transfer (MFT), Technical Application Management (TAM), and dedicated middleware services.

Ekron Dries

Ekron Dries works as a Strategic Advisor at BlueFinch-ESBD. Over the past ten years, he has worked with many midsized and enterprise organisations across Europe, helping them improve security and strengthen their critical file transfer processes.

Watch the replay here

New partnership to achieve better file transfer performance and security monitoring

Éloïse Gruber — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:22:12 +0000

At BlueFinch-ESBD, we are committed to bringing our customers the very best solutions on the market to meet their evolving needs.

That is why we are excited to announce our new partnership with Threpoly.

BlueFinch-ESBD and Threpoly join forces

Threpoly is an innovative company with over 30 years of experience in secure file transfers. It is the first dedicated SaaS platform designed to monitor both the performance and security of any file transfer or EDI solution.

As Europe’s leading GoAnywhere MFT integrator, BlueFinch-ESBD understands the daily challenges organisations face in maintaining reliable, secure, and compliant managed file transfer (MFT) environments.

Having greater visibility into transfers and their performance is extremely important, as it allows you to anticipate any data exchange issues.

This partnership combines BlueFinch-ESBD’s expertise in implementation and advisory services with Threpoly’s cloud-based monitoring platform. Together, BlueFinch-ESBD and Threpoly will help organisations gain unprecedented visibility into the availability, speed, and security of their mission-critical file transfer operations.

“Trading partners don’t care about dashboards—they care that files arrive on time. With BlueFinch-ESBD, we’re giving teams a clear, outside-in view and the confidence to say, ‘Yes, your transfer will land successfully.’ Every time.” – Chris Payne, Director of Operations, Threpoly.

What exactly is Threpoly?

Threpoly is a cloud-based SaaS solution for monitoring performance and security hygiene of file transfer infrastructures.

Its mission is simple: “To provide proactive monitoring, so issues surface early and customers can achieve file transfer excellence”.

Threpoly leverages:

Globally distributed monitoring agents
Synthetic traffic testing that simulates real transfers
Automated alerts and analytics

Together, these capabilities allow operations teams to see exactly what their partners experience, detect anomalies before they cause disruptions, and prevent minor issues from becoming major incidents.

Traffic Simulation

It can emulate a real-world connection into MFT/EDI endpoints – as if a trading partner – to see if they are available and functioning correctly.

This helps detect availability or performance issues before real transactions fail and real business impacts are felt.

Visibility across systems & partners

Provides dashboards & reporting to see how the entire file transfer ecosystem is behaving.
Helps in discovering weak points or bottlenecks.

Proactive issue detection

Because of synthetic traffic and continuous monitoring, issues can be detected early, often before business impact.
The solution aims to help diagnose which component is failing, rather than just raising alerts.

Business benefits

In summary, the Threpoly SaaS solution extends your MFT solution to have better visibility and:

Reduce downtime through early detection of potential issues.
Strengthened security posture by ensuring transfers adhere to required protocols, configurations, and encryption standards.
Improved operational efficiency with reduced firefighting, fewer manual checks, and less need for retrospective investigations.
Simplified audit and compliance via a unified view and full traceability for governance of file transfer systems.
Greater scalability and ecosystem coverage across hybrid and distributed environments, seamlessly supporting diverse systems, partners, and protocols.

This strategic partnership highlights both companies’ commitment to helping enterprises modernise their file transfer environments with smarter monitoring, proactive performance management, and robust security guidance.

Plan Ahead & Optimize Workflows

Micro-Level Real-Time Alerting

Keyframe Markers Visual Correlation

Predictive Congestion Detection

Real-time Congestion Detection

Auditable Reports

Transfer Speed & Latency Tracking

Uptime & SLA Compliance Verification

Real-Time Monitoring Insight

Security Score Dashboard

Automated Risk Scoring

Proactive Alerts

Trend analysis

Real-Time Synthetic Monitoring

Want to know more?

Threpoly works very well with solutions such as GoAnywhere MFT, Globalscape, Axway MFT, Progress MOVEit, Coviant, etc.

Quick and easy installation (just a few hours) means you can start using the solution right away!

Discover Threpoly solution and ask for your free trial!

European Data Sovereignty and What It Means for Your File Transfers

Éloïse Gruber — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:16:51 +0000

‘Where is our data stored?’

‘Where is our data stored?’ is a question that many European organisations are asking themselves more and more.

With all the current geopolitical events, data sovereignty has become one of the most important topics of 2025. Achieving European data sovereignty essentially means that all data generated in the European Union must be processed in accordance with EU laws and regulations, and that access to, storage and use of data must be ensured within the EU area in order to protect your data from external intrusion.

To illustrate this point, here is an infographic from 2024 showing the main data centres around the world.

There are approximately 11,800 data centres worldwide:

5,381 are in the United States, or just under 50%
2,773 data centres are in Europe, including Russia
1,508 are in Oceania and Asia
2,138 are in the rest of the world (including Mexico, Canada and Brazil)

Why is this issue so crucial today?

There are two main reasons why data sovereignty has become a central issue of our time. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Firstly, the regulatory and legal framework

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), reinforced by other national regulations, requires organisations to manage personal data rigorously. They must ensure compliance with strict guidelines. In addition, laws have been or are being adopted in several countries that allow access to data stored on their territory for national security reasons. This raises a major risk: losing control over one’s own data.

Data sovereignty ensures that sensitive data remains subject to the laws of the region where it is stored and processed, thereby strengthening its protection.

Secondly, the unstable geopolitical context

Current tensions are encouraging an increase in cyberattacks and increasing data security risks. This could lead to greater restrictions on data access or the availability of digital services. However, these elements are essential to the smooth running of businesses that rely on cross-border data flows.

Data sovereignty is a lever for trust.

Controlling what is done with data, guaranteeing its security and ensuring its transparency are essential conditions for establishing a lasting relationship of trust with customers and partners. By regaining control over your data, you not only offer a guarantee of security, but also a strategic competitive advantage.

How are file transfers directly affected?

We encounter this need for data sovereignty in our daily work. Files are full of sensitive data, and transferring them across borders or via cloud services poses risks to data sovereignty.

Regulations relating to sovereignty, such as the GDPR, have an impact on these transfers by requiring robust data protection measures for file transfers that cross European borders, with transfers to countries that do not have adequate data protection laws even being completely restricted.

When transferring or storing sensitive data, there are four key considerations to analyse:

Data residency lets you know where your data physically resides during and after transfer, which is important for GDPR.
Supplier jurisdiction lets you check whether your suppliers are subject to foreign laws such as the US CLOUD Act, which may conflict with EU privacy rules.
Encryption must be robust both in transit and at rest, and ideally you should control the keys.
Finally, analysis enables you to prove compliance during audits.

Without clear answers to these assessments, your data security and regulatory position could be seriously compromised.

Integrate compliance into your file transfer workflows

Integrating compliance into your file transfer strategy means incorporating confidentiality, security, and accountability at every stage.

Start by mapping and classifying data to understand the types of data you transfer and their sensitivity. You must then back this up with robust contracts and standard contractual clauses to define how data is protected when shared with third parties.

You should conduct regular audits and risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and ensure ongoing compliance. You need to be able to show who accessed the data, when and why.

On a human level, implement employee training and strict access controls to prevent misuse or accidental exposure.

To align with European data sovereignty, your strategy must prioritise infrastructure transparency: know exactly where your data is stored and how it flows. Use strong encryption in transit and at rest, and most importantly, retain ownership of encryption keys.

Finally, favour EU-based suppliers and partners who are governed by EU privacy laws and principles.

By combining legal, technical and organisational controls, you create a secure and compliant file transfer process that meets both regulations and customer expectations.

Future prospects

The EU is advancing digital autonomy through initiatives such as GAIA-X, which aims to establish a secure, transparent and interoperable data infrastructure rooted in European values.

At the beginning of 2021, the Gaia-X AISBL association was created by 11 French organisations and 11 German organisations.

Since then, the association has seen exponential growth in its membership, enabling it, especially, to cover its operating costs through membership fees, thus making it financially independent.

The Gaia-X association also joined a project founded by the European Commission due to its nature and strategic importance. This project, the Data Space Support Centre (DSSC), was launched in September 2022 for a period of 42 months.

This reflects a broader trend. Data sovereignty is no longer just a regulatory box to tick, but has become a strategic imperative.

At the same time, more and more companies are moving away from public cloud solutions and adopting hybrid or private architectures. This allows them to better control where data resides, how it moves, and who has access to it, while still benefiting from the scalability of the cloud.

The motivation for these developments goes beyond compliance. Trust and reputation depend on how organisations handle sensitive data. Customers, partners, and regulators increasingly expect clear assurances and accountability.

In addition, operational resilience is at stake. Companies that rely too heavily on global cloud service providers (especially those subject to non-European laws) expose themselves to risks such as unauthorised access, data location conflicts, or service interruptions related to geopolitical issues.

Embracing data sovereignty enables your organisation to prepare for the future by aligning with evolving regulations, strengthening stakeholder trust, and building more resilient and transparent digital ecosystems.

Sources:

https://dcmag.fr/ou-sont-les-data-centers-dans-le-monde/

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia-X

Zero trust, total control

Éloïse Gruber — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:22:10 +0000

The challenge for MFT in the age of zero trust

With the spread of teleworking, the rise of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and the increase in access to hosted services, both on-premises and in the cloud, software publishers are putting forward solutions based on the zero trust model.

Zero Trust — ‘never trust, always verify’ — is becoming the backbone of a modern security strategy.

The central objective of Zero Trust is to reduce as far as possible the implicit trust placed in any user, device, or service seeking to access the information system.

Zero Trust is often contrasted with perimeter defence. These two models complement each other and are based on several common principles. Zero Trust is therefore a natural part of a defence-in-depth strategy and should not be seen as a substitute for existing perimeter protection.

This contrast can be represented by the image of a fortified castle. The classic perimeter defence consists of walls and a drawbridge. Once these have been breached, access to the interior of buildings is unrestricted. The Zero Trust, on the other hand, transforms each room in the castle into a secure zone with its own armoured door and access control, so that an intruder cannot move about freely even after passing through the walls.

Let’s have a look at how to implement a zero-trust strategy with a managed file transfer (MFT) tool.

Fundamental principles of zero trust applied to MFT

Implementing zero trust in an MFT environment requires a combination of technologies and processes.

According to NIST (SP 800-207) recommendations, a zero trust strategy is based on three key pillars: strong authentication, micro-segmentation, and access control based on identity and context.

For an MFT environment, this translates as follows:

Explicit and strong authentication

The first step is to implement strong authentication, generally multifactor authentication (MFA), which requires each user to prove his or her identity using several elements: password, mobile application, physical key or biometrics. This authentication must apply to all connections, including those initiated by scripts or automated systems. The aim is to eliminate vulnerable entry points, such as service accounts with static passwords.

Encryption everywhere, all the time

The second dimension is the systematic encryption of data, both in transit and at rest. In an MFT, this means using secure protocols such as SFTP, FTPS or HTTPS for transfers and using robust algorithms such as AES-256 or PGP for storage.

Least privilege and granular control

Contextual access control achieves this approach. It is no longer just a question of limiting rights and checking who the user is, but also of analysing the conditions under which they connect: geographical location, type of device, level of system updates, and access times. In this way, an authorised user can be denied or restricted access if they try to connect from an unusual country or from a terminal that does not comply with security policies. The associated diagram could be visualised as a traffic light at the entrance to a tunnel, green if all conditions are met, orange if restrictions apply, and red if access is refused.

Segmentation

A fourth essential building block of zero trust applied to MFT is micro-segmentation. This involves dividing flows into logical or physical segments, each with its own access rules. For example, exchanges containing financial data can be confined to a separate network environment from HR data or technical documentation. This separation reduces the impact of an incident: a compromise in one segment does not open the door to the others. Imagine an archipelago where each island is autonomous but linked to the others by bridges that are monitored and controlled.

Continuous monitoring and automated response

Finally, zero trust in an MFT is not limited to prevention. It also includes a capacity for detection and rapid response. This involves continuous monitoring of exchanges via integration with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solutions capable of analysing logs in real time. In the event of abnormal activity, such as an unscheduled mass transfer, sending to an unusual destination, or repeated failed authentication attempts, the system can automatically trigger countermeasures: suspending an account, interrupting a flow, or triggering an investigation.

The combination of MFT and zero-trust does not stop at the points mentioned above, but these are the main advantages.

BlueFinch-ESBD can help you with your zero-trust strategy

Organisations are constantly exchanging financial documents, legal documents, PIIs, medical applications, patents, etc. The slightest leak can result in a breach of the RGPD, HIPAA, DORA, or other standards. It can also damage a company’s reputation and cause them to lose their competitive edge.

Automated MFT makes it possible to meet regulatory constraints while avoiding the risk of human error, but this requires a mature platform, integrating encryption, auditing, secure workflows and advanced controls.

Cloud and hybrid environments can complicate visibility and security. MFT combined with a zero-trust approach ensures that data is protected even when it leaves the company or transits via third-party servers.

By treating every access as potentially hostile, encrypting every file, isolating every flow and monitoring every transaction, we achieve an ambitious but realistic goal: zero trust, total control. In a world where data is both a strategic asset and a prime target, this approach is becoming not only relevant, but essential.

1 – GoAnywhere MFT: the heart of the system

Beyond simply managing file exchanges, the MFT can tick a few boxes that are essential to the security and performance of your information system. The GoAnywhere MFT file transfer solution offers key features for a secure IS architecture:

Transfer automation, secure protocols (SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, etc.).
Considering business and regulatory contexts, sensitivity and nature of data
Identification, authentication and management of access rights
Secure administration (privileged accounts, DevSecOps practices)
Network, system and storage partitioning
Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Flow filtering and inspection
Protection against malicious code with the integration of Clearswift Secure ICAP Gateway and Digital Guardian to scan (anti-malware), classify and apply persistent DRM to files.
Business continuity and recovery plan (including backups)
Security supervision (logging, detection, incident handling)

2- Data classification and DLP

Identifying the sensitivity of files (personal, financial, IP data, etc.) via classification enables appropriate policies to be applied upstream of transfers. This is where Clearswift Secure ICAP Gateway and Digital Guardian come in, to scan, classify and apply access rights and policies to files.

DLP analyses the content of files before transfer and blocks or alerts if it detects sensitive data that is not authorised to leave the company.

3- DRM and dynamic access control

Digital Rights Management makes it possible to track files, restrict their use (read-only, no copying/printing/capturing) and even revoke access after distribution. These capabilities embody the principle of least privilege applied to the document.

4- File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)

With File Integrity Monitoring, any unauthorised modification is detected, a critical element in a zero trust model that assumes an internal threat or compromises the integrity of systems.

5- Example of a zero-trust implementation plan with an MFT

Step 1: Mapping and classification

– Record all MFT flows, their origins, destinations and data types.

– Classify content to determine its level of protection.

Step 2: Authentication and access

– Implement MFA for all user and application access.

– Define precise roles with RBAC, limiting rights to what is strictly necessary.

Step 3: Encryption and segmentation

– Activate encryption in transit (SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS) and at rest (AES-256, PGP).

– Deploy a DMZ or network segmentation to isolate MFT servers.

Step 4: Integrate classification, DLP and DRM

– Automatically scan sensitive files.

– Apply dynamic DRM policies, usage control, revocation, etc.

Step 5: Monitoring and reaction

– Integrate MFT logs into a SIEM.

– Configure alerts, automated responses and rigorous audit logs.

Stage 6: Testing, training and iteration

– Simulate attack scenarios, check resilience.

– Train users in the new processes.

– Continuously adjust the strategy according to feedback and regulatory changes.

Zero trust and MFT: the right combination

Implementing zero trust in an MFT environment is rarely instantaneous. It often follows a gradual path: mapping existing data flows, classifying data, strengthening authentication, deploying encryption, introducing micro-segmentation, DLP/DRM integration and then advanced supervision. This gradual ramp-up reduces the impact on users and allows policies to be adjusted according to feedback and operational constraints.

The benefits of this approach are manifold. Security is strengthened in the face of both internal and external threats, because compromised access does not give an attacker carte blanche. Regulatory compliance is facilitated, as the zero-trust model meets the requirements of numerous standards and regulations, from RGPD to ISO 27001, via HIPAA and DORA.

Visibility over data flows is increased. Each transfer is traced and audited and can be correlated with other security events. Last but not least, the company gains in agility! Policies can be rapidly adapted to changes in the context or threats.

By using this model, organisations move from the paradigm of “trust until proven wrong” to “check, limit, revoke”, zero trust, total control.

Do you have a question? Need more information? Would you like to see GoAnywhere MFT and Clearswift in action during a demonstration? Would you like to test the solutions?

Our teams are here to help!

Sources:

ETL vs MFT: two approaches to data management and integration

Éloïse Gruber — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:40:38 +0000

Companies today are faced with a wide choice of technological solutions for managing, transforming and securing information flows. In just a few years, the IT market has become highly competitive and fast-moving.

Digital figures, between competition and evolution

In 2024, worldwide spending on software reached USD 675 billion, an increase of almost 50% compared to 2020 (USD 454 billion)1.

In 2016, there were an estimated 21 million professional software developers/engineers². This figure rose to around 28 million in 20233, and is expected to reach ≈28.7 million in 20252. The massive creation of companies and the boom in IT employment are evidence of strong growth in the ecosystem. SaaS, cloud solutions and digital transformation platforms have become the norm for more than 90% of businesses in 2023.

The software market is continuing to grow at a rate of 5% to 8% per year and is not about to stop.5

However, today we are going to focus on two major types of solution that dominate the market: ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools and MFT (Managed File Transfer) solutions, which are becoming increasingly popular for their simplicity, security and efficiency. While ETLs have long been the standard for data integration projects, MFT is now emerging as an increasingly popular solution.

Understanding the fundamental difference between ETL and MFT

ETL

Historically, ETL solutions have been designed to extract data from several sources (databases, flat files, APIs), transform it according to complex business rules, then load it into data warehouses or target systems. They are mainly used for business intelligence analysis, data lakes and business repository synchronisation.

Tools such as Talend and Informatica offer powerful data processing capabilities, but their implementation is often cumbersome, costly and inflexible. They require specialist developers, a robust infrastructure and a long development cycle. What’s more, the cost of licensing these solutions can run into the hundreds of thousands of euros for enterprise deployments.

MFT

In contrast, MFT (Managed File Transfer) solutions focus on secure, automated and supervised file transfers. They guarantee the integrity of data in transit, and offer advanced traceability, alert and automatic recovery functions. Historically seen as solutions limited to simple data transfers, modern MFT platforms now incorporate simple data transformation functions, intelligent workflows and connectors to a wide range of ERP, CRM and cloud systems. They can also be complemented by cybersecurity solutions such as inspection, sanitisation and recognition of sensitive data.

Case studies by business sector

1- Finacial sector

Let’s take the example of the banking sector, where the security of exchanges is crucial. A major banking institution recently replaced its ETL infrastructure with an MFT solution to orchestrate exchanges between its subsidiaries, financial partners and regulatory authorities. Whereas ETL required complex developments for each flow, MFT enabled rapid configuration via a graphical interface, with deployment times reduced by 60%, while meeting strict compliance requirements (encryption, logs, audit, etc.).

2- Healthcare sector

In the healthcare sector, hospitals and laboratories have to exchange sensitive files on a daily basis, such as biological results, medical records, financial data for insurance purposes, and so on. Using an MFT solution not only ensures compliance with regulations such as RGPD or HIPPA, but also delivers the operational fluidity that is essential for organisations with limited IT resources. Conversely, the use of an ETL would be oversized for this type of requirement, generating unjustified licence and maintenance costs.

3- Retail sector

In the retail sector, some distributors have replaced their ETL solution to automate the exchange of files with their suppliers (purchase orders, inventories, invoices) via an MFT platform. File transfers enable better supervision of exchanges, shorter lead times for bringing new partners into production and fewer human errors, all without the need for specialist developers.

4- Logistics sector

Finally, in the logistics sector, companies that have to interact with heterogeneous systems such as customs, carriers and e-commerce platforms find MFT an agile solution. Whereas an ETL requires a well-defined and stable schema, the MFT tolerates the diversity of formats and enables faster adaptation to the reality on the ground.

Gradual replacement of traditional ETLs

Today, many companies are reviewing their data processing architecture and questioning the value of maintaining heavy, costly ETL platforms, particularly when the use cases do not require advanced data transformation.

Migrations to MFT platforms, which handle up to 80% of the traditional data flows processed by ETLs, have become commonplace. According to a study published in 2024 by Research and Markets 4, more than 40% of companies surveyed had considered replacing their ETL infrastructure partially or totally with MFT, mainly for reasons of cost, maintenance and security.

The trend is also being reinforced by the rise of the hybrid cloud, where MFT is finding its place with its native SaaS connectors, whereas traditional ETLs are struggling to adapt without a major overhaul.

A significant difference in cost and deployment time

One of the major arguments in favour of MFT is its total cost of ownership. Whereas licences for ETL solutions can exceed €100,000 per year, a robust MFT solution can be implemented for a fraction of that price. What’s more, indirect costs (maintenance, skills upgrading, server infrastructure) are much lower. A study by Gartner in 2023 shows that the average cost of deploying an MFT is 3 to 5 times lower than that of a traditional ETL.

MFT also has the advantage in terms of time-to-production. Whereas an ETL project can take several months between design, development and testing, an MFT project can be operational in a few weeks, or even a few days for simple data flows.

Does the future of data integration lie with MFT?

It would be wrong to say that MFT systematically replaces ETL. The two approaches can coexist, depending on the nature of the data flows, the criticality of the transformations to be carried out and the business requirements. However, it is undeniable that many companies are rediscovering the virtues of simpler, faster and more secure integration thanks to Managed File Transfer.

In a tense economic climate, reducing costs and controlling risks are becoming priorities. Replacing an ETL solution such as Talend or Informatica with a well-chosen MFT solution not only meets current needs, but also enables you to adapt more quickly to future regulatory, technical or organisational changes.

Conclusion: it’s up to your business requirement

Companies looking to rationalise their information systems must now consider MFT as a serious alternative to traditional ETLs. Thanks to its ease of deployment, controlled costs, native security and flexibility, MFT meets a wide range of use cases, in all sectors of activity. This is not just a passing trend, but a real paradigm shift in the way we think about data integration. Choosing a modern MFT solution can be a major strategic and operational lever.

Sources :

¹https://www.wipo.int/en/web/global-innovation-index/w/blogs/2025/global-software-spending
²https://wifitalents.com/software-industry-statistics/
³https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_engineering_demographics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managed_file_transfer
⁴https://www.globenewswire.com/fr/news-release/2024/11/18/2982627/28124/en/Managed-File-Transfer-Software-Services-Market-Report-2024-2029-by-Solution-Service-Deployment-and-Region-Increased-Adoption-of-Cloud-based-MFT-Solutions-Worldwide
⁵https://webtribunal.net/blog/cloud-adoption-statistics/
https://llcbuddy.com/data/managed-file-transfer-software-statistics/

European Data Sovereignty and What It Means for Your File Transfers

Carlijne Ultzen — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:54:56 +0000

“Where is our data being stored?” is a question many European organisations are asking themselves recently. With all the current events going on in the world, data sovereignty has become one of the most relevant topics of 2025. Obtaining European data sovereignty basically means that all data generated in the European Union should be handled based on EU laws and regulations, and also be insured data access, storage and usage within the EU area this is too safeguard your data from external players into your data. But this is not always the case since there are so many different places to store your data.

To illustrate this point, here is a 2024 infographic showing the main data centers around the world.

There are approximately 11,800 data centers worldwide:

5,381 are in the United States, accounting for just under 50%
2,773 are in Europe, including Russia
1,508 are in Oceania and Asia
2,138 are in the rest of the world (including Mexico, Canada, and Brazil)

Why the hype?

But why is this such an important topic right now? There are a couple main reasons that give us some insight as to why data sovereignty is hot right now. Let’s take a look.

To start off with the regulations and legal frameworks we are dealing with. The European GDPR in combination with other national regulations forces organisations to strictly handle personal data and assure it is in line with the specific guidelines. Combining this with the law that several countries are enacting allowing them to access data, that is being stored there, for national security, which means that you could lose control over your data. Data sovereignty ensures that sensitive data is subjected to the laws and regulations of the area in which it is stored.

Furthermore, we are currently dealing with a lot of geopolitical instability and security risks. This could lead to increased state-sponsored cyberattacks, but can also lead to restrictions on data access or service availability. Which would impact businesses that rely on data flows that are crossing borders.

Lastly, transparency on what is going on with your data and maintaining control over it is essential for building trust and creating a competitive advantage for your customers and partners. As data sovereignty also ensures them that their data is controlled and safe in your hands.

What does this mean for your file transfers?

We are seeing this need for data sovereignty also back in our daily work. Files are filled with important and sometimes restricted data, transferring them across borders or via cloud services gets risky for data sovereignty. Regulations around sovereignty like GDPR impact them by requiring robust data protection measures for file transfers that are crossing European borders, transfers to countries that don’t have adequate data protection laws could even be fully restricted.

When transferring or storing sensitive data, four key questions matter. Data residency asks where your data physically resides during and after transfer which is important for GDPR. Provider jurisdiction checks if your vendors fall under foreign laws like the U.S. CLOUD Act, which may conflict with EU privacy rules. Encryption should be strong both in transit and at rest and ideally, you control the keys. Lastly, auditability ensures you can prove compliance during audits. Without clear answers to these, your data security and regulatory posture could be at serious risk.

What now?

Building compliance into your file transfer strategy means embedding privacy, security, and accountability into every step. Start with data mapping and classification to understand what types of data you’re transferring and their sensitivity. Then you should back this up with strong contracts and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to define how data is protected when shared with third parties.

Furthermore, you should conduct regular audits and risk assessments to spot vulnerabilities and ensure ongoing compliance. At the human level, implement employee training and strict access controls to prevent misuse or accidental exposure.

To align with European data sovereignty, your strategy should prioritize infrastructure transparency, know exactly where your data is stored and how it moves. Use strong encryption both in transit and at rest, and crucially, retain ownership of encryption keys.

Make auditability a priority: you must be able to show who accessed data, when, and why. Finally, favour EU-based providers and partners who are governed by EU laws and privacy principles.

By combining legal, technical, and organizational controls, you create a secure, compliant file transfer process that meets both GDPR and customer expectations.

Looking ahead

The EU is advancing digital autonomy through initiatives like GAIA-X, which aims to build a secure, transparent, and interoperable data infrastructure rooted in European values. This reflects a broader shift: data sovereignty is no longer just a regulatory checkbox but it has also become a strategic imperative.

In parallel, more businesses are moving away from purely public cloud solutions and adopting hybrid or private cloud MFT (Managed File Transfer) architectures. This gives them greater control over where data resides, how it moves, and who has access, while still benefiting from cloud scalability.

Motivation for these developments goes beyond compliance. Trust and reputation hinge on how organizations handle sensitive data. Customers, partners, and regulators increasingly expect clear safeguards and accountability.

Moreover, operational resilience is at stake. Companies that rely too heavily on global cloud vendors (especially those subject to non-EU laws) face risks like unauthorized access, data localization conflicts, or service disruptions tied to geopolitical issues.

Embracing data sovereignty helps future-proof your organization by aligning with evolving regulations, strengthening stakeholder confidence, and building more resilient, transparent digital ecosystems.

https://dcmag.fr/ou-sont-les-data-centers-dans-le-monde/

https://data.europa.eu/en/news-events/news/eu-data-act-new-era-data-economy-and-open-data-integration-0

Managed File Transfer as a Service (MFTaaS)

Carlijne Ultzen — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:20:39 +0000

Securing data exchanges in the cloud

In all industries, we are becoming more and more familiar with the “as a Service” model, which is gaining popularity with customers and suppliers.

Managed File Transfer as a Service (MFTaaS) has become a must-have solution for companies looking to secure and automate sensitive data transfers. With the growth of increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, MFTaaS offers a tailored response to today’s challenges.

SaaS (Software as a Service) is now well-known among companies and ranks as a software distribution model that allows providers to host specific software in the cloud and make it available to end users. SaaS solutions eliminate the need to purchase hardware, install it in-house, and keep it up to date.

The “MFT PaaS” or “MFT Platform-as-a-Service” provides the infrastructure (hosting) and the platform (software) to companies. This gives you control over your workflows, partner integrations, and data exchanges while benefiting from a secure and scalable environment.

Market Growth and Trends

The global MFT market is expanding. In 2023, it was valued at $2.5 billion and is expected to reach $4.52 billion by 2029, with an average annual growth rate of 10.2% according to Globenewsire.

This dynamic is fueled by several factors such as:

The increase in data security and regulatory compliance requirements related to IT such as: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, the Data Governance Act (DGA) adopted in 2023, the Digital Services Act (DSA) which came into force in 2024, DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) which appeared in 2024/2025, the reform of electronic invoicing planned for 2026, etc. These regulations introduce new measures for companies to adopt, under penalty of fines, in order to secure, protect and centralize data.

The growth of cloud and hybrid IT environments. According to Gminsights, On-Premise MFT accounted for 64% of the market share in 2024.
The ability to process large amounts of data while spending little on infrastructure development is driving the use of the cloud. Hybrid methods are on the rise, as they incorporate an acceptable level of security and flexibility. This allows for remote access while being managed on-site.

The workforce and the use of human resources with advanced technological skills is essential. Training and technology monitoring are imperative to stay up to date with technological developments. However, recruitment in France has been difficult in recent years. With 5.8 million job offers published in the first half of 2024 across all sectors, the recruitment market is still showing signs of slowing down.

The benefits of MFTaaS

Enhanced security

MFTaaS solutions incorporate advanced security protocols such as AES-256 encryption, multi-factor authentication, and strict access control mechanisms. They also provide full traceability of transfers, making it easier to audit and comply with standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or SOX.

Process automation

MFTaaS helps automate file transfers, reducing human error and improving operational efficiency. It also offers scheduling, real-time monitoring, and alert management capabilities, ensuring proactive transfer management.

Regulatory compliance

MFTaaS solutions are designed to meet the compliance requirements of regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and the public sector. They offer reporting, data retention, and access management capabilities, making it easier to comply with regulations.

Flexibility and scalability

As a cloud-based service, MFTaaS offers great flexibility and scalability. Businesses can adjust their needs as their business grows, without having to manage the underlying infrastructure.

Cost savings

Implementing SaaS saves on hardware maintenance and upgrade costs, as these are already taken care of by SaaS. Add to that the scalability of the solution, which helps manage expenses, and SaaS is a cost-effective solution.

Dedicated teams of MFT experts

With Platform-as-a-Service, you also have the option to switch to “MFTServices”. This means that in addition to benefiting from the infrastructure and software hosted by the provider, you can also count on experts who take care of the complete management of your instances.

No need to recruit or train your teams, you have direct access to specialists who take care of the development, maintenance and troubleshooting of all file transfer workflows.

The disadvantages of MFT in the cloud

Let’s face it, the cloud can also have disadvantages.

While MFTaaS offers significant benefits, it can be a significant upfront investment, especially for small businesses. Subscription, training, and onboarding costs can be a barrier to adoption.

Integrating MFTaaS with legacy systems can be complex, especially in heterogeneous IT environments. This often requires specialized technical skills and can lead to extended deployment times. However, this impact can just as easily occur with an On-Premise structure. The migration may only take longer depending on the expertise provided.

The adoption of MFTaaS also implies a certain dependence on the service provider. Businesses need to ensure the supplier’s reliability, security, expertise, and compliance, as well as continuity of service in the event of a problem.

The location of the data centers is also an important part. As the cloud pioneers are in the United States, this can be a hindrance for some companies. Between jet lag, language and European regulations, it is sometimes difficult to operate with these giants with attractive prices.

BlueFinch-ESBD and MFTaaS

Since the expansion of the cloud, many of our customers have been asking us for a SaaS solution. This is now possible thanks to our various European partnerships.

Cegeka and BlueFinch-ESBD Managed File Transfer

This new managed file transfer offering is the result of a collaboration between BlueFinch-ESBD and Cegeka, driven by a shared commitment to provide a “Made in EU” MFT service offering.

The Cegeka & BlueFinch-ESBD Managed File Transfer offer offers two tailor-made service packages: MFTPaaS and MFTServices.

MFTPaaS is a secure and scalable platform designed to manage the exchange of critical business data between systems, employees, customers, and partners.

Our MFTPaaS solution ensures compliance with industry data protection standards by providing the encryption, automation, and monitoring needed to improve the security and operational efficiency of your business.

MFTPaaS provides the hosting and file transfer software, GoAywhere MFT, which allows companies to control their workflows, partner integrations, and data exchanges while benefiting from a secure and scalable environment.

MFTServices, on the other hand, offers a fully outsourced approach.

Beyond hosting, updates, and patches, we support the development, maintenance, and troubleshooting of all file transfer workflows. You can easily request new configurations and monitor service performance through a dedicated customer portal, without the need for in-house MFT expertise.

This solution is particularly suitable for companies that want to offload the complexity of MFT management while ensuring seamless, secure and compliant file transfers.

Le Luxembourg

We work closely with DEEP (Post Luxembourg) and Capgemini to offer MFTaaS solutions to our clients. For more information, please contact our experts at sales@bluefinch-esbd.com.

Future Cloud Outlook

Managed File Transfer as a Service is an effective solution for companies wishing to secure and automate their data exchanges. Despite some implementation and dependency challenges, the benefits in terms of compliance, efficiency, and flexibility make it a strategic choice for many organizations. It is essential to properly assess the specific needs of the business and choose an MFTaaS service provider that is reliable and complies with regulatory requirements.

In addition, the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and blockchain, will improve the security, automation and traceability of file transfers in the near future. That’s why BlueFinch-ESBD strives to find you the most suitable partnerships to meet your technical challenges and needs.