Client-initiated and server-initiated transfers

You can use SecureTransport to set up and execute server-initiated transfers. There are four types of transfers:

• Client-initiated downloads – A client application "pulls" a file from the SecureTransport Server.
• Client-initiated uploads – A client application "pushes" a file to the SecureTransport Server.
• Server-initiated downloads – The SecureTransport Server "pulls" a file from a remote server.
• Server-initiated uploads – The SecureTransport Server "pushes" a file to a remote server.

Client- and server-initiated transfers can be performed using any supported protocol. The protocol servers that handle client-initiated transfers run on the SecureTransport Server or on the SecureTransport Edge in the perimeter network (DMZ). The protocol clients that perform the server-initiated transfers run on the SecureTransport Server in the Transaction Manager server JVM and can connect out through a SOCKS5 Proxy on a SecureTransport Edge or through an HTTP proxy to a remote system. This allows the protocol clients to have direct access to the file system.

Server-initiated transfers can be triggered by any of the following events, depending on the configuration of the transfer:

• A Folder Monitor
• A scheduler
• The arrival of a file

In addition to the protocols mentioned above, the Folder Monitor can be used for inbound and outbound file transfers.

• For outbound transfers, SecureTransport can copy the files to a specified folder.
• For inbound transfers, SecureTransport can monitor the folder for newly arrived files and use the event to trigger an application executing specific tasks.

Any server-initiated transfer requires an account to be subscribed to an application based on one of the application types: Standard Router, Site Mailbox, Shared Folder, Basic Application, File Transfer via File Service Interface, Human to System, or Advanced Routing. For detailed information about application types and applications, see Applications.

The following topics describe managing client-initiated and server-initiated transfers:

• Transfer mode for server-initiated transfers - Describes the transfer mode for server-initiated transfers.
• Transfer multiple files - Describes transfers of single and multiple files.
• Configure retry parameters for server-initiated transfers - Describes configuring the retry parameters for server-initiated transfers.
• Outgoing connections - Describes the outgoing connections.
• Authentication - Lists the authentication methods for connecting to a remote site for different protocols.
• Server authentication - Describes server authentication.
• Limitations - Lists the server‑initiated transfer limitations.
• Encryption and server-initiated transfers - Describes using encryption with server-initiated transfers.