File transfer is the process of copying or moving a file from one computer to another, either locally or across a network connection. A file can be an image, document, audio or video file. File transfer is done through various protocols such as FTP, HTTP, BitTorrent and Simple File Transfer Protocol.
The file transfer process can be push-based or pull-based. In push-based, the file is sent to the recipient when the sending server receives a request. In pull-based, the file is pulled from a remote server by the client when a request is made. The pull-based method is more reliable.
File size is another factor that affects how long it takes to transfer a file. The higher the file size, the longer it will take to send. The file size must also be accounted for when considering the available network bandwidth. For example, a 250 MB file will take about 20 seconds to transfer over a 100 Mbps connection.
Depending on the network environment, a number of factors can influence the download speed or upload speed of a file. These include the number of network errors and lost packets, retransmission requests, bandwidth usage by other traffic, disk access speeds on destination servers, and more. Data sets comprised of small files may be impacted more by these factors than larger data sets.
Managed file transfer is a way to secure and deliver files from multiple sources to internal teams, customers, partners and suppliers. It also provides visibility and control over critical file transfers to prevent costly business impacts like failed or delayed deliveries that lead to missed SLAs. Send Files