Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard
Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard
For businesses working with large files containing proprietary or sensitive information, sending files to partners and clients can be a huge challenge. Secure managed file transfer software lets businesses securely transfer files over the network and control who can access the files. Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard, which begins at $995 per license for the core module (plus additional fees), comes with automation capabilities to streamline scheduled file transfers. It also comes with mail options to securely send files plus features designed to encourage collaboration. The interface is not as slick and polished as our Editors’ Choice Citrix ShareFile BusinessGlobalscape EFT Cloud Services.
Secure MFT offers more than what person-to-person file transfer tools such asHightail (formerly known as YouSendIt) offer as secure MFT adds a management layer on top of file transfers. MFT software is more security-focused than just plain File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and is generally considered a good replacement for plain FTP. While both our Editors’ Choices for MFT software are cloud-based, Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard is on-premises; this means you download and install the software on your own infrastructure. Meanwhile,Accellion Kiteworks Business offers an Enterprise version which can be installed either as a virtual appliance on private clouds or software on local servers. Don’t let the fact that Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard requires you to install on your servers intimidate you, though. Like Coviant Software Diplomat MFT Standard, I found the installation process straightforward.
GoAnywhere MFT Packages and Free Trial
Linoma Software offers four different flavors of GoAnywhereMFT: Free, Standard, Premium, and Ultimate (and I tested the Standard version for this review). The Free version lets you automate FTP transfers but, for anything else, you need to pay for the software license. All of the flavors support an unlimited number of users and partners, and there are no storage limits as those are imposed by the hardware on which you decide to install the software. The maintenance contract for Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard includes all product upgrades, technical support from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Central), and the option to transfer the license to a replacement server.
Each tier essentially opens up different modules, which you can add to create the software bundle you need. For most small businesses, the Standard tier is sufficient as it provides access to the SecureFolders module ($1,995 for this module) for collaboration over HTTP Secure (HTTPS), and SecureMail ($2,995 for this module), the module for securely sending files over email. The good thing is, if you don’t need the module, you don’t pay for it. The Premium bundle, in comparison, would easily be priced over $23,000 for the license.
Linoma Software also tacks on an 18 percent maintenance fee each year for support. For this review, I based my observations on SecureMail, so the price tag would be $3,990 before the $718 maintenance fee—for a grand total of $4,708 for the first year. The license is a one-time cost though, so subsequent years will just bill the maintenance fee. Like most on-premises software, Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard requires a significant cash outlay at first but very quickly becomes more affordable in later years.
The problem with many MFT providers is the lack of a try-before-you-buy option. That or they require you spend a significant amount of time with account managers before you can even access a demo or evaluation version of the software. Linoma Software offers an evaluation copy of Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard, which you can download and install on IBMi AS/400, Linux, Mac OS X, Union, Solaris, and Windows operating systems (OSes). Being able to test the software and the installation process is critical to the decision making. It would be nice if Linoma Software offered a sandbox environment similar to what Coviant Software does with its Diplomat MFT Standard software so that business owners can see the software without getting bogged down on the installation process. If you don’t want to deal with installations, going cloud-based with Citrix ShareFile Business or Globalscape EFT Cloud Services may be the better option.
If you have specific partners with which you regularly exchange files, you may want to consider starting with the lower-cost SecureFolders module instead of jumping straight to SecureMail. SecureMail is useful if your recipient list changes. Linoma Software also offers GoDrive, which is essentially a Dropbox-like, online file storage which you host on your on-premises hardware. The Standard version automatically lets you have 10 free GoDrive users.
Getting Around Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard
Installing Linoma Software GoAnywhereMFT Standard on a Windows Server 2008 box was straightforward and I was able to see the Management console. The Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard interface does not look as slick as Citrix ShareFile Business but it definitely has a lot of power and features. The Dashboard shows gadgets for statistics, server health (e.g., number of files uploaded and downloaded), and the ability to manage users and workflows. The logs are much more robust in Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard than in Accellion Kiteworks Business or Citrix ShareFile Business.
The first thing I did was create some users to use this platform. It was a less time-consuming process than it was in Citrix ShareFile Business, and I was able to assign specific controls on the users. The Web console required a bit of a learning curve to figure out what each screen wanted, but there’s a lot of context-sensitive instructions and help menus available. I selected the Authentication scheme for the users and external partners, the type of transfer protocols to which they have access, and to which local and network resources they have access. Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard was most like Globalscape EFT Cloud Services in the amount of granular controls available to the user.
Sharing Files With ShareFile
I used SecureMail to transfer files between users and partners. You can select specific files, password-protect them, and attach them to the email which is sent from Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard. Since this is on-premises software, the file is not uploaded to any other server; the contents stay put on your server until the recipient opens the email and clicks on the link to download the file. You also can put rules on how the file can be downloaded as well.
There is also a free Outlook plug-in, which makes it possible to send the files directly from your normal email. As mentioned earlier, GoDrive is a way to get Dropbox-style file sync and sharing on your own servers. With GoDrive, you can upload files into folders and invite other users to work with you on these files. GoDrive supports file revision tracking, commending, and “View Only” modes. Windows and Mac devices are supported with GoDrive. Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard also offers Android and iOS apps for anyone who needs to send and receive files. There aren’t as robust mobile device management (MDM) features built into the mobile components though.
If you currently rely on FTP servers, you can use the FTP server built into Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard to securely serve up files over Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connections. You can also set up triggers with the FTP server to automatically process files when something is uploaded or send notifications when someone downloads the file. Triggers are used to link events (such as someone logging in) with actions such as sending email notifications, executing commands, moving and renaming a file, to name a few. This makes it easier to automate aspects of file transfer and is an uncommon capability.
As a brand-new user, a one-time client, and an employee, the notification email was easy to understand, and it was clear how to sign up or just access the file. But, considering how robust the field documentation is and how well-featured the software is, I was disappointed that Linoma Software didn’t offer 24/7 support as part of its 18 percent maintenance fee. I was able to easily reach support on chat and phone, but the tool is just complex enough that I would have preferred to have access to more support options. I would stick with Citrix ShareFile Business for its stellar support if you think you need more hand-holding.
Sharing Securely
Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard lets you take on the modules you need and not pay for tools you aren’t using. The file access controls are granular and let you specify who can see which files and how. Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard closely matches the features offered by our Editors’ Choice Globalscape EFT Cloud Service so you will need to do the math to figure out whether your business would benefit from on-premises software or a cloud-based solution. Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard doesn’t match the ease of use offered by Citrix ShareFile Business, our other Editors’ Choice, but that is because the latter is much more powerful. For businesses who don’t mind maintaining their own hardware or don’t have the option to go to the cloud, should seriously consider Linoma Software GoAnywhere MFT Standard.
malikmuddser