New FTP/Reporter Module Enables Real-Time Monitoring of FTP Activity on z/OS
Functionality includes ability to send alerts based on customer-defined criteria, enhances overall automation and control.
Cupertino, California -- April 10, 2006 -- Software Assist Corporation announced the addition of a module to FTP/Reporter, providing real-time monitoring of FTP activity on z/OS platforms. This module enables customers to accumulate FTP usage data, in real-time, and provides the basis for reporting, analysis, exception alerting, and enhancement of automation efforts where FTP is involved.
"Real-time monitoring of FTP usage provides the basis for better management and automation of FTP, a critical component in today's enterprise data center.” says Software Assist president Scott Myers. “The increased use of FTP within the entire organization means an increase in data and security exposure. Knowing what FTP is being used for, when it is being accessed, and what data is traveling in and out of the enterprise on a real-time basis is a critical requirement".
“Many of today’s business processes include multi-platform functions that utilize FTP to transfer files between the various platforms. Customers need a better way to monitor the FTP activity within these business processes. Due to the typically high volume of FTP activity in most organizations, it is critical to be able to manage this process with exception reporting and real-time alerts to enhance overall automation.
FTP/Reporter's real-time monitor can be set to generate alerts automatically for all transmissions of sensitive data and all failed FTP transactions. In addition, customers can select FTP transactions based on their criteria and generate alerts. Some examples of FTP-related alerting include:
Successful completion of a file transfer can trigger an automation event to start the next step in a business process
A failed FTP file transmission can trigger automation to retry the transfer or escalate the situation for human intervention
Failure of a critical FTP transmission to complete by a certain time of day could trigger a notification to escalate the situation
A series of repeated, failed attempts to log onto the FTP server could trigger a security alert
Unusually slow running file transfers to a specific IP address could trigger a network performance alert
File transmissions of sensitive data to unauthorized locations and/or by unauthorized users could trigger a security alert
Transmission of large files to the z/OS host could trigger a DASD space usage alert
Issue a security alert if specific file names are transferred with FTP, as this may not be allowed due to the sensitive nature of the files.
Real-time monitoring of FTP activity provides the missing piece in true FTP-related data center automation.
About Software Assist Corporation
Software Assist Corporation has been providing software solutions to the I.T. industry since 1991. Its products include AF/Operator1, INFOPAC-TapeSaver2, and other Windows and z/OS software products. For more information, visit http://www.softwareassist.net.
Note: AF/Operator is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation; INFOPAC-TapeSaver is a registered trademark of Mobius Management Systems.