With the use case for GoAnywhere MFT, I was setting it up to be similar to the use case that I have for Globalscape because with this MFT-based solution, everything is about creating users since it is all tool-based. The product has all the features, including administrations, where we need to create the users. We need to create users' event rules to take the files and upload them to the destination, push the files, and handle reporting and everything. Most of the steps will be the same, except for a couple of things.
External reviews
External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Implementation simplifies secure file transfers but requires 24/7 support improvements
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The best features of GoAnywhere MFT so far, from what I've seen, is that it is a light version. For just the purpose of uploading and pushing the files, transferring the files is the main objective. That's where we use GoAnywhere MFT, because it is a very light version, and the price is definitely less compared to the Globalscape enterprise level. The purpose will be resolved if you want to use more transactions and more file transfers with a secured process.
What needs improvement?
If it is out of the country, with Fortra support in other regions and countries, there will be timing differences. You need to wait until that time because they only work on a US basis, not 24/7. It is just US timing, 8:00 to 5:00. They need to get sorted out to get 24/7 support, so that every country can benefit from the support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been experimenting with GoAnywhere MFT for the past three months since becoming US-based on an H1B visa.
How are customer service and support?
I rate the Fortra support or customer service as a seven because the support was there every time. When we log a ticket, it is immediately assigned to a person who will call us. They will ask about all the pre-steps we need to do, where we create a log with verbose, log the issues, and send them the screenshots of the issues with log files attached. Based upon that, they do the pre-checks on everything, get the solution, and send us an email. If we cannot resolve it straightforwardly, they will schedule a call to assist.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
With Globalscape, I built knowledge, not with GoAnywhere MFT. With Globalscape, we got an in-between DMZ gateway to secure. Anything coming from outside traffic is secured because we got a DMZ gateway, which doesn't expose our IP addresses and everything on the security point. It can take any number of connections, so there is no problem with the connections. It integrates with anything.
How was the initial setup?
With both Fortra and GoAnywhere MFT, if you want the GoAnywhere MFT product, we need to buy a license from the company, Fortra. It is straightforward, and we get support on installation and everything. If you want a larger and more complex solution, that's where we use advanced workflow engines to create event rules.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I was comparing differences by exploring other tools as GoAnywhere MFT and IBM Sterling, though not too deeply.
What other advice do I have?
I am still exploring the connectors for services such as Salesforce, SharePoint, Microsoft Dynamics, and other connectors. It works for remote purposes because every MFT product has a web transfer client. We can use the HTTPS method to upload the files, or use SFTP tools to upload the files.
The importance of remote agents with GoAnywhere MFT is that everything should be automated, with no manual interaction. We can schedule it at a particular time, and the agent has to trigger. Once the file is automatically generated, it has to be uploaded and transferred to the destination.
Each agent serves a specific purpose - one for file generation, one for encryption, one for uploading files, and one for alerts about successful transfers and failures. Multiple agents act on individual tasks.
Fortra's capabilities for automation have grown significantly. They can be used in any domain, including medical, healthcare, and industrial sectors. The security is impressive with highly enabled components and features, including TLS. Fortra has reduced prices, and their automation has improved significantly.
If it's not complex, GoAnywhere MFT is straightforward for taking files and pushing them in large numbers. The product currently operates as a hub between different environments. Users need to be on a virtual server to install a Windows-based server to upload files.
GoAnywhere MFT has lower capabilities because it has limited features, but it serves its purpose. Some people only want file transfers without notifications or status updates, and considering the budget, it satisfies these requirements.
I rate this solution a 6 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Secure file transfer solution for our cloud modernization programs
We used it to pull files from systems like SAP and other EHR/EMR sources and then move those to Azure Blob and mount in Databricks
Best things i noticed,
The trigger-based jobs are useful for automating things without too much manual work
SFTP, FTPS support
Audit logs helped during compliance
Reusable templates for file transfers
Biggest help was reducing manual scripts and FTP headaches
Also useful for handling file encryption/decryption (PGP)
License cost & subscriptions should be little more better in teh competitive world
Getting more add-on direct connectors for modern systems
Overall, it reduced operational overhead and made our cloud data ingestion more streamlined and secure.
We had multiple on-prem systems sending files manually or through legacy scripts — GoAnywhere helped centralize and automate all of that.
It also helped us enforce encryption standards and maintain audit logs, which is important for HIPAA compliance.
Effortless Deployment, Essential for File Management
Empowers organizations with enhanced file security and efficient data management
What is our primary use case?
My use case for the solution is both file transfer and file storage. We use it for file transfer within the organization and also for storing and managing our files at the organization.
How has it helped my organization?
GoAnywhere MFT saves us a lot of time. Previously, we were using simple file sharing platforms, such as Google Suite. However, we were concerned about our file security and encryption, so we chose GoAnywhere MFT. GoAnywhere MFT is a great file-specific, file transfer-specific, and encryption-specific solution. It does its work really well. Other software can handle their work adequately, but the file sharing, file encryption, and file security and sharing are perfect in this solution.
What is most valuable?
The best features I appreciate most about the solution are the security and encryption they provide, which is really awesome. The main reason we use GoAnywhere MFT is the file security. I went through their security policies, and these are really great.
What needs improvement?
One area I want to see improvement is their licensing system. They are still using a key system, similar to Windows activation keys from Microsoft. They should improve that with better pricing plans.
Additionally, they can improve their UI. I really feel it is outdated, so improvement in UI would help.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for around one month.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would say GoAnywhere MFT is stable, though we had downtime for a few minutes due to our company glitches. The issue was not from GCP, so I would rate stability as a nine.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate scalability with GoAnywhere MFT as really good, giving it a rating of ten out of ten.
On the management side, 50 to 60 people use it.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the technical support that GoAnywhere MFT provides around a seven. I talked with the support once, and they were not available at that time.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were previously using simple file sharing platforms, specifically Google Suite. We were concerned about our file security and encryption, which led us to choose GoAnywhere MFT.
How was the initial setup?
We have a hybrid model. Currently, we are using GCP as our cloud provider. We are looking for transferring to some other platform, but for now, we are using GCP.
The deployment is really straightforward. It took within one to two days to get properly set up.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment includes saving time and increasing efficiency. It really increased our efficiency. It saves 20% to 30% of time compared to when we used to send files one by one to a collected Gmail.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is around market value. It is neither too high nor too low, but balanced.
What other advice do I have?
In terms of connectors, we are currently using the Salesforce one. I also tried using Slack, but I encountered some issues with it. However, it worked out fine in the end. The integrations are good. I explored the various integrations available, and there are plenty of them. However, we use only a few of them.
I would definitely recommend GoAnywhere MFT to other users because what it provides is perfect. I have no problem with it.
Overall, I would rate GoAnywhere MFT as a nine out of ten.
Best Of All Time Secure Managed File Transfer.
User-friendly platform enhances secure data transmissions but support responsiveness needs improvement
What is our primary use case?
We had the enterprise version of GoAnywhere MFT. We had the business-to-business and in-house versions. We were sending and receiving files from vendors, which were banks, Nike, and all sorts of different purveyors, and then also from server to server within our own business. We were using it quite extensively. I think we were averaging maybe 500 transmissions a day.
What is most valuable?
What I appreciated the most about GoAnywhere MFT is that it was very user-friendly. It was also very reasonably priced compared to other MFT applications. If I bring up BMC's MFT option, it was three times the price and it had pretty much the same functionality.
At the time when we first got it, it was one of the first MFT applications that had secured transmissions. That was one of the things that our security department was very adamant about, getting a hold of all the ad hoc FTPs that were flying around and securing them all, finding out what's going on, where the data is, what the data is, and locking it all down. That's why we went to it.
What needs improvement?
The main area for improvement would be including better support. Support was horrible. When we needed help off-shift, at 2:00 in the morning, it was an hourly rate of $200, $175 an hour, and we waited an hour, hour and a half to get somebody on support. It was ridiculous. I'm accustomed to calling a support desk and getting immediate help. Every other application I've ever worked on was that way. GoAnywhere MFT, Fortra, their first-level support was just miserable.
Another improvement would be their pricing models. We went cheap at Foot Locker and didn't include the reporting options, and we should have because the reporting was really fantastic. They should roll it all in, make one price model, include the reporting, and that will make all customers happy.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using GoAnywhere MFT in my career for approximately 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We experienced a couple of issues with GoAnywhere MFT, but they were due to our own actions. One time we ran out of space on the server and it locked up because it couldn't write to its log files anymore. Another incident occurred when a developer had written a project using a resource that had an expired PGP key, which caused a cascading effect on authentication. That one was difficult to diagnose, but we figured it out with help from support by analyzing the logs. The stability of the application itself is excellent. We left it on an AIX machine that hadn't been rebooted in three years, which testifies to how the application ran.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We never really had to do any scaling with GoAnywhere MFT. We built it to fit our environment and planned for the future, and it was working effectively. We didn't have to add any other MFT servers. We had one MFT and one gateway, which was sufficient.
How are customer service and support?
First-level support for GoAnywhere MFT would rate about a seven for skill level. Second-level support, after waiting a day and working with the first-level person, would rate about a nine or ten. They were fantastic people to work with and remained engaged throughout the process. We were in contact for sometimes weeks afterward. They were really good at committing long-term to a solution. However, the first-level support was disappointing, especially considering the hourly rate of $175 for someone not fully versed in the application.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used homegrown ad hoc solutions, such as the built-in FTP that was part of z/OS from IBM, and FTP options for Linux and AIX. GoAnywhere MFT was the first enterprise-wide MFT solution that we brought in-house. We did evaluate BMC's MFT option, but it was essentially the same functionality at twice the price.
How was the initial setup?
The installation and upgrading process was not easy. Having someone from GoAnywhere MFT assist us might have improved the process.
What about the implementation team?
When I retired, I had everything in place and turned it over to a contractor from Fortra who was supposedly an expert in GoAnywhere MFT, but they still haven't completed the implementation.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We considered BMC's MFT option, which was three times the price with pretty much the same functionality. Since we used Control-M for our enterprise scheduling application, we considered using the MFT option but ultimately canceled that idea due to the cost differential.
What other advice do I have?
One of the reasons I retired was because of GoAnywhere MFT. The software itself was fine. Nearly every day, I was chasing down certificate owners and determining who was responsible for them. Nine times out of ten, they were no longer with the company, and the remaining staff didn't know anything about it or what to do. I spent approximately 90% of my time chasing down certificates and getting them updated. If the certificates could be removed, I would give it a nine. GoAnywhere MFT didn't provide any sort of guidance on certificate management. They simply provided what needed to be done and left the implementation to us, which was a significant oversight on their part as certificate management became a nightmare.
The overall rating for GoAnywhere MFT would be a seven, primarily due to the never-ending nightmare of certificates.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Simplified and fast file transfers
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution to transfer a large amount of files from one folder to another. The agents can be monitored in one place, which is how I have been using this solution.
I use Secure Forms to collect information. The solution supports drag and drop which eases the file uploading process. They have made it easier for me to upload my data onto the GoAnywhere MFT solution.
How has it helped my organization?
GoAnywhere MFT has improved my organization in the way that I can easily deploy the agents in remote areas. I can control my agents in one remote area as well. If they are in different areas, I can control them in just one place. It also helps me to monitor the files and folders when we are connected on the server.
GoAnywhere MFT has helped me complete tasks quickly compared to other features I have used previously. It doesn't have slowdowns, which makes it the best suited solution for me to use.
What is most valuable?
The best features are the GoAnywhere MFT Agents, the Secure Folders, and the Secure Forms.
What needs improvement?
The user training should be straightforward from the date of implementation since it is somewhat complicated for new users. That is the only improvement that needs to be done.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 18 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. It has no crashes or setbacks. I would rate it an eight out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is easy. I would rate it an eight out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Their technical support team is friendly. I would rate them a ten out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions, but not for a long period of time, so the experience with them is not very comprehensive.
What was our ROI?
It has saved my expenditure by about 20% and increased the workflow.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its cost is reasonable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate alternate solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend it to other users because it can easily transfer files from one server to another.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Efficient and secure managed file transfer
Automation and compression make file transfers effortless and increase productivity
What is our primary use case?
We use GoAnywhere MFT to store and transfer files from our main system servers to the desktop, and also transfer files from cloud software such as Dropbox and AWS.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has significantly improved our file transfer process. For instance, if we need to transfer files but anticipate being busy during the scheduled transfer time, we can set a specific time for the transfer. We can organize all the files that need to be sent at that time, and then schedule the system to automatically run the transfer process. This automation makes the work effortless and has increased our productivity. By eliminating the need for manual file transfers, we can redirect our time to other tasks. The system takes over the monitoring of the file transfers, saving us the costs associated with hiring a specialist specifically to manage this process. Instead, all we have to do is check if the files were successfully transferred.
One of the advantages of using GoAnywhere is that it automatically retries file transfers until they are successful. This means that the majority of the time, files are transferred without any need for manual oversight. Overall, the automation features significantly enhance our productivity by minimizing the necessity for a person to monitor each transfer.
The solution connects safely with recommended third-party solutions, and these connections are fast and seamless. We use the GoAnywhere MFT connectors, and these connectors connect successfully during integration. When connecting the connectors, it takes less time as long as you fill in the required credentials and information. Once connected successfully, file sharing from the connectors to the GoAnywhere MFT tool is very easy, and the process is quick.
Regarding the range of connectors that GoAnywhere MFT provides out of the box, all the connectors that my organization uses connect successfully. The range is good because we primarily use connectors such as Microsoft and Dropbox, and we can connect efficiently with them.
The GoAnywhere MFT Agents feature allows us to extend the system to remote locations. When you extend the system to remote connections, the GoAnywhere MFT Agents assist in monitoring and transferring files at the remote end, making the system accessible remotely. We previously used secure forms when we wanted to request information and credentials during file transfers. We used secure forms to set the requirements for the needed files and to communicate with co-workers to easily find the information to be transferred at the right time.
What is most valuable?
One of the best features of GoAnywhere MFT is FileCatalyst, which helps us to transfer large files and assists in compressing them. When you compress large files, you can transfer them after compressing, and it also assists in decompressing after transferring. For example, when transferring large files from the servers to the Dropbox system, you will have to decompress a large file, which will take less time to be transferred.
Another excellent feature is called GoDrive, which also helps us to transfer large files. Additionally, there is the automation process; GoAnywhere MFT helps us to monitor our transfers. For example, when I want to transfer a file and I'm busy, I can schedule the transfer for the next hour. When the time arrives, the GoAnywhere MFT automation will help me to automatically transfer and monitor all the transfer processes.
We use the GoFast feature in combination with FileCatalyst and GoDrive because all three assist in easy and faster file transferring.
What needs improvement?
The areas I would request for improvement within GoAnywhere MFT are mostly regarding the support team, as I experience some delays in responses to inquiries. If the support team is unavailable, perhaps they could assist us in training an AI agent with a comprehensive knowledge base. This way, when we require assistance, we can use the AI agent to help solve some issues instead of waiting for support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
GoAnywhere MFT in my organization has been stable with very few drawbacks. Since it has had very few drawbacks, every transfer process runs smoothly, even when using features such as AC2 and AC3.
I would rate it a nine out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I would rate it a nine out of ten for scalability.
We have multiple locations, primarily because we have a central server where most activities are monitored. Currently, we have approximately six users working with GoAnywhere MFT.
How are customer service and support?
I experience some delays in responses to inquiries. I would rate the support a seven out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before switching to GoAnywhere MFT, we were using solutions such as Google Drive and SharePoint for file transfers. Now, I find that GoAnywhere MFT is one tool that combines all those other tools, functioning as all solutions in one for file transfers. I see it as the best because it simplifies what you could do with many software by combining them into one.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment process is easy, taking around one week.
The solution requires maintenance when the system is updated, but no maintenance is needed when the system is stable and not being upgraded. We perform maintenance only when a new version is produced.
What was our ROI?
I estimate that GoAnywhere MFT helps us save approximately 30% of our investment and the resources we would otherwise use while relying on smaller tools.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For me, the pricing is okay. It also depends on the requirements of the organization, but overall, it is cost-efficient.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend it because it helps monitor and transfer both large and small files, even in the absence of team members. The software includes an automation feature, allowing users to schedule file transfers for specific times. You will find that the files are transferred at the scheduled time without any further control from the user. This is a significant achievement for any organization or individual using it, as it saves time and makes the work process more effortless.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.