We primarily use GoAnywhere MFT to facilitate secure file transfers via SFTP and HTTP protocols. Our most important usecase is for the files uploaded for any support cases created by customer. Customers can upload/download files for their respective cases either via SFTP or HTTP. Project workflows has been great to buid automation for this usecase. We have an integration of GoAnywhere MFT internally with Oracle Service Cloud and the automation plays a vital role for to and from communication between these systems.
External reviews
External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Stands out because of the ability to create and trigger workflows
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
GoAnywhere MFT has significantly improved our operational efficiency by enabling the automation of complex file transfer tasks through its project workflow feature. These workflows allow us to design, schedule, and execute multi-step processes.As a result, we’ve reduced errors, saved time. Since, the project workflows can be created with low code no code it significantly simplified the process of building and testing new workflows. As a result our development cycles are shorter and we are able to add more value.
What is most valuable?
The project-based workflow automation feature elevates the GoAnywhere MFT beyond a simple file transfer solution. We leverage its schedule-driven execution and robust integration capabilities to automate and streamline our business processes. Since we have an automation that integrates with our internal systems REST/SOAP API calls via GoAnywhere has been really helpful. Along with this, the triggers for file transfer has helped us to sync files to other downstreams systems needing the information.
What needs improvement?
While GoAnywhere MFT is robust and reliable, its user interface could benefit from a more modern and intuitive design.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using GoAnywhere MFT for more than 3 years for one of our use cases.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. I would rate GoAnywhere MFT a ten out of ten in terms of stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Its architecture supports clustering and load balancing, which enables horizontal scaling for heavy workload requirements.
How are customer service and support?
Our experience with GoAnywhere’s support has been positive overall. While support interactions have generally been smooth, occasional wait times during peak periods may occur.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of GoAnywhere MFT was straightforward, thanks to its user-friendly web-based interface and comprehensive documentation. We were able to setup our env with clustering enabled within a day.
What was our ROI?
Automation of manual file transfers and workflows reduced the time we had to spend on repetitive tasks which resulted in fewer errors and less troubleshooting.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its a cost-effective solution.
What other advice do I have?
Take advantage of GoAnywhere’s extensive connectors to integrate with existing systems. It can save time and reduce complexity
The G.O.A.T of Secure File Transfers!
Efficient automation transforms data sharing with seamless encryption and scheduling
What is our primary use case?
I use GoAnywhere MFT mainly to manage file transfers and to move data around the business. We have various teams and we use it to move data around.
We use it for encryption, we use it to send bank files to the bank through an encrypted channel, we use it to send data to the DMV, and we use it to send data to law firms.
We grant access to law firms to download their data whenever they need it, and basically, we use it to share information across various networks.
How has it helped my organization?
Previously, data transfers used to be manual, where somebody grabbed a file, encrypted it, and shared it. Now we create a project, tell it where the files are located, where they need to go, what the file name should be, and we schedule that on our third-party application called IBM Tivoli, which takes care of the process. That's pretty neat.
What is most valuable?
What I appreciate the most about GoAnywhere MFT is the encryption process, where we can create a project, set it to encrypt the data and run it automatically at any time without having a user involved.
Before, we had to write scripts and manually update them to move data around, encrypt files, or rename files. Now we just use the GUI to set the modules for transfers, encryption, renaming, and copying, allowing us to set it and schedule it to run without any user interaction.
When I first started using GoAnywhere MFT, it was challenging to learn how to use it since I didn't get any training, so I had to navigate the application by myself. However, once I downloaded the user guide and started reading it, I found it pretty simple to understand.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement for GoAnywhere MFT, they could enhance the support, as there have been cases where we needed support due to the application getting stuck for no reason, and usually, the issue gets fixed by restarting the application.
However, we never get a clear understanding of why the issue occurred and how we could prevent it. That's the only thing that could help if the application could log what caused the error for us to prevent it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using GoAnywhere MFT for over ten years, and I've been the administrator for about six of those years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability regarding GoAnywhere MFT, it's good; it stays up and doesn't really crash.
It does have some bugs, particularly with the SMB1 protocol, which is deprecated and should not be used. We have some resources that force us to use SMB1, and I've noticed that when we try to connect with it, sometimes it just hangs, affecting the application. The only bug we have occurs when connecting to SMB1; the system hangs, however, it usually starts working on its own without interventions from us or the networking team.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We do not use any connectors or Secure Forms at this time, only the current resources that we have in the service. We have experimented with connectors a few times when we thought we needed them. In the end, we were able to accomplish things differently, and we are aware that there are connectors in the application.
How are customer service and support?
The quality of the support for GoAnywhere MFT is pretty good when they have knowledge of what's going on. We usually get fixes pretty quickly, however, with the issue of the application getting stuck, it can take some time for them to get back to us. However, we never get a clear explanation of what caused the issue or how to prevent it. Other than that, whenever they have knowledge of what's happening, the support is pretty good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used alternatives to GoAnywhere MFT, including PuTTY, WinSCP, and FileZilla before, but GoAnywhere MFT is the best; we prefer it.
How was the initial setup?
The initial deployment of GoAnywhere MFT was already there when I joined. I did complete a fresh install and migrated all the data since we needed to move the application from Windows 2016 to 2022 due to 2016 support ending. I downloaded the instructions on how to do the install, configure, and migrate the data, and everything was pretty straightforward; I didn't have any problems.
GoAnywhere MFT does not require much maintenance on my end, as the only maintenance we have is doing upgrades, and everything else works fine every day without any issues. Whenever there's a bug or issue with GoAnywhere MFT, we contact support, and they tell us what to do, how to mitigate the bug, or how to fix it.
What other advice do I have?
GoAnywhere was already in place when I joined the company, as there used to be another version of GoAnywhere which I don't recall the exact name of. We upgraded to GoAnywhere MFT, which is the version that was already in place when I started.
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate the solution overall as a nine.
We do not have any partnerships with GoAnywhere or Fortra; we are just a customer. Fortra can contact me if they have questions about this review, and I'm interested in being a reference for Fortra.
Have evaluated customer feedback and rated satisfaction highly
What is most valuable?
We are a review website for enterprise IT, and we perform two main functions. First, we publish these reviews for other people to read, either publicly or anonymously. Second, we work directly with vendors who are interested in understanding what users think about their product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
What about the scalability of the solution?
Automated processes significantly improve the efficiency of file transfers across different time zones
What is our primary use case?
We are using GoAnywhere MFT primarily for transferring files. These are reports from banks and from our vendors who conduct research for us, such as food counts in stores and other data. We transfer it for our Finance Department and BI team so they can generate additional reports for our management.
We don't have many projects compared to other customers, however, it amounts to approximately 50 different jobs running during the day.
How has it helped my organization?
The product has a lot of benefits. For example, it allows us to automate a lot of processes.
What is most valuable?
This product has numerous benefits as it has automated many processes that we previously had to do manually every day. Some vendors generate reports during nighttime, which is helpful when the BI team works in different time zones - they are in the Eastern Time Zone while we are in the Mountain Time Zone in Colorado. The management is in Colorado as well, so when they start working, they already have reports at the beginning of their workday. There are many benefits, particularly in terms of automated processes, which helps significantly.
What needs improvement?
The product itself is very good, however, it requires additional knowledge for setup. Writing variables is sometimes difficult. It would be helpful if they provided additional basic training for administrators who manage this product. They have paid training available. That said, as someone who inherited this product and handles tickets when jobs fail, I had to figure out for myself how the product works and how to troubleshoot it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started in November 2021 and began using GoAnywhere MFT in January 2022, inheriting it from my predecessors and colleagues who were taking care of the product for our company.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have one issue that occurs when someone is signed into the console. The session times out and disconnects, and when trying to sign in again, it doesn't allow access unless opened in incognito mode browser or from a different browser. The only solution found is to sign out when not needing to be connected to the console. Otherwise, you will get a 500 error. Other than that, it works very well, especially when kept up to date. My predecessor never updated it, but once we keep it updated, it never causes issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's quite easy to scale. When adding new jobs, I typically find similar projects, copy them, edit the XML file, and apply the changes. It's straightforward unless our Finance or BI team needs something specific, which might take a couple of days to figure out as I combine this duty with other tasks.
How are customer service and support?
Over three years of using the solution, we contacted technical support three or four times maximum.
The most recent instance was after migration when there was an issue with the public IP. After changing the network interface, the license broke. Support deactivated the old license, activated the new one, and fixed the issue in about two to three hours. The first engineer was inexperienced and had to consult someone else, who resolved it quickly. Another instance was when the certificate expired, and we couldn't sign into the console because only HTTPS was enabled.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have not used any alternatives to GoAnywhere MFT.
How was the initial setup?
The solution was already deployed when I joined, but I handled the migration to the new server. I built the new server and followed guidance from the GoAnywhere engineer, who watched and directed my actions while I shared my desktop.
Regarding maintenance, it only requires Windows updates for the server, which is automated by SCCM. We monitor for new versions of GoAnywhere MFT and install them within a week or two after release, depending on whether it's a critical update or if security issues were found. We follow a change control process through the ticketing system, and stakeholders must be informed of any changes. It's easy to maintain this product with monthly Windows updates and occasional GoAnywhere MFT updates.
What about the implementation team?
We paid $3,500 for professional services, which covered two meetings plus a couple of hours with the engineer.
What was our ROI?
It's difficult to compare costs as I don't know how much competitors charge for their products. In my career, I haven't used anything except GoAnywhere MFT. However, it saves considerable time, and I would say the investment pays off.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is reasonable. We recently considered moving GoAnywhere MFT from on-premises to their Cloud solution, however, it proved too expensive. We decided to keep it on-premises and migrate the product to a newer version of Windows Server, from 2016 to 2022.
What other advice do I have?
We don't use connectors. We use SAP as our ERP system and don't have any CRM since we are primarily a retail company working with customers who come to stores to buy jewelry. We don't use agents, secure forms, or the GoFast feature. Our setup is simple and basic.
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate GoAnywhere MFT a nine overall. Without knowledge, it can be challenging to manage as it uses XML files for configurations and has tricky variables. While it's not particularly intuitive for new users, it becomes easy once mastered.
Offers excellent flexibility and impressive features such as Secure FTP and Secure Mail
What is our primary use case?
We use GoAnywhere MFT for managed file transfer, secure mail feature, and SFTP. It serves as our SFTP system.
How has it helped my organization?
We utilize the GoAnywhere Agent, which allows us to connect internally to our network. It functions similarly to a VPN tunnel. With the cloud version, there is minimal maintenance involved, including no need to worry about security certificate updates.
Overall, it's been a good product for us, and I'm very happy with the support. There is also the ease of administration. You don't have to be a coding expert or anything like that to be able to create complex managed file transfer jobs.
What is most valuable?
The whole application of GoAnywhere MFT is excellent. The user interface is intuitive. The flexibility for creating projects for managed file transfer is quite robust. I can easily add new modules to any project through a drag and drop process, which is really nice. I have the ability to manually edit the XML code that is produced when creating a project using that method. I can also export the XML code.
The Secure FTP feature gives me the ability to manually block IP addresses. It's a very secure system that automatically blocks certain IP addresses after multiple malicious connection attempts. Setting up new accounts is straightforward, and it's a robust SFTP system that uses the same interface as the regular GoAnywhere MFT, making it familiar for users. I can produce reports for security and have full control over secure protocols allowed on the system, making it easy to comply with security standards such as Sarbanes-Oxley.
The Secure Mail feature is impressive. I've worked with several different secure mail applications, and this one has comparable features. You can dictate security levels, such as requiring a username and password or simply sending links. It also allows business users to request large files from vendors or partners without utilizing an FTP system for large file transfers. When requesting files, recipients can click on a link and upload their file through a secure file transfer. If I needed a 200-gig file from you, I could send you a request. You click on the link, and then you can upload your file. It's a secure file transfer. That's a nice feature about it.
What needs improvement?
The application uses resources such as network connections to shared directories or SFTP connections. I would appreciate seeing utilization metrics for these resources. For example, when opening a resource, it would be beneficial to see which projects are utilizing that resource. A project transfers files from one location to another, and these locations are the resources. When opening the configuration for a resource such as an SFTP site, it would be helpful if it displayed which projects are utilizing that resource.
Overall, I'm very satisfied with the product. We did have some issues a couple of months back where we were having some unscheduled outages, and the support team worked with me closely and provided a solution that appears to have fixed the problem. I haven't seen any issues in over a month now.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the cloud version of GoAnywhere MFT for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We experienced some unscheduled outages a couple of months back, but the support team worked closely with us and provided a solution that appears to have fixed the problem. Essentially, the application needed to be updated to the current version, so I really can't blame the application because our cloud wasn't on the current version. We have a very crowded schedule as far as our MFT jobs are concerned. The delay was because I had to wait after we went through payroll and month closing tasks before doing an upgrade. We did experience a little bit of trouble, but it was resolved quickly.
How are customer service and support?
The experience was excellent. The support technician who worked with me initially owned the ticket through the whole process, even after escalating to developers or higher-level support. The technician stayed with the ticket until resolution and followed up afterward.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The nearest alternative I've used is Oracle Cloud Integrations, which is essentially a fancy managed file transfer system. It has connections similar to resources and file transfer capability, including SFTP capability. It does not have secure mail capability, but it is comparable to an Oracle Integration type system.
How was the initial setup?
I've been with the company for 25 years. Prior to using the cloud version of GoAnywhere MFT, we were hosting GoAnywhere MFT in-house. It was an on-prem system, whereas now, we're in the cloud. We've been using the cloud version for only two years, but we used the in-house version for six years prior to that. I was instrumental in moving to the cloud version. I also did the proposal to use GoAnywhere SFTP. I did a proof of concept and all that. I pushed it through. I was pretty much the one who pushed for GoAnywhere SFTP, but we have been using the MFT service for years and years.
Deploying GoAnywhere MFT was straightforward, especially the cloud version. We encountered minor issues with whitelisting IP addresses during the learning process. The challenging part was transferring our old MFT on-premises jobs to the new cloud version.
There was some confusion with the agent because it functions as two different sides of the same application. The agent side communicates with your network while the other side operates independently. Creating projects in the correct area is crucial. For example, projects needing an internal network connection should be created inside the agent console. The process of switching between the regular console and agent console could be improved, as it's somewhat cumbersome.
The cloud version deployment was simple, though on-premises installation can be more complex.
In terms of maintenance, I don't even have to worry about security certificates anymore. Previously, I had to update the security certificates on the on-prem servers, but that's true for any application. There's almost no management.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for GoAnywhere MFT seems reasonable when compared to other similar services, especially cloud services. Azure is significantly more expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We don't use its connectors at this point. It's pretty much standalone. We are an Oracle cloud customer as well. Most integrations are managed within the cloud because they have their own connectors. Cloud-to-cloud transfers for services like Salesforce don't require routing through our system unless it's for archival purposes.
It's an excellent product. I would recommend it. I would rate GoAnywhere MFT a nine out of ten. The cloud version is relatively new to everyone, and there were instances where the support team was going through their own learning process. However, they handled everything professionally. The pace of technology advancement is rapid, but they maintain excellent service.
GoAnywhere MFT admin experience
1. Easy to manage web users
2. The Admin interface is very user friendly
3. Reliable service
4. Security is enhanced after the incident
2. Tech support is very responsive sometimes, but not responsive sometime.