Data Encryption

[suhas chandrahas]

Hi All,

I am new to Automic tool and have few questions regarding object types JOBF and FTPJOB (RA FTP).

1: as i go through the documentation, JOBF requires agent to be available on source and destination agents, however FTPJOB works without an agent installation. please confirm if this understanding is wrong.

2: what are the scenarios to use these 2 object types.
3: how data encryption works in both the cases.
4: for JOBF, we only need Automic agent to be installed and for FTPJOB, we need RA FTP agent to be installed on AE server.
is there any other requirement we need to fulfil to use them.
5: in the FTPJOB template i see that SFTP can be used as protocol, what protocol JOBF uses?

Thanks
Suhas

[Carsten Schmitz]

​Hi.

1: this assumption is correct.

2: You use JOBF when you want to use the Automic native file transfer, with all it's advantages and disadvantages. You use the RA FTP agent when your remote target has an FTP/SFTP (and I think also) FTPS server and you can not, or do not want to install an Automic agent over there.

3. For JOBF, nobody can truly know, at least not for sure. It's a proprietary software and they never released independent reviews, so the crypto can't be vouched for. If in doubt, tack it onto a VPN, then you define the level of crypto. The RA FTP agent is based on a somewhat recent open source Java library and implements open crypto standards that are negotiated between the agent and the remote end, with crypto ranging from "nothing" for plain FTP to AES for SFTP. Again, tacking on a VPN can secure otherwise insecure protocols such as plain FTP.

4. Not really, no. An automation engine and two operating system agents for JOBF, or the engine and an RA agent for the other thing.

5. proprietary protocol, closed source. Supports limited restart functionalily, limited wildcard options, no incremential transfers.

Br,
Carsten

[Pete Wirfs]

We are a small shop.  We decide which file transfer method to use based upon the situation using the KISS principle;

(1) If the source and target servers are on the same network, then open up a share (if necessary) and transfer the files with simple copy commands.

(2) if the source and target servers have agents, then use JOBF.

(3) Use RAFTP

I was told by support once that the RAFTP software uses this product for managing encryption:
     http://www.jcraft.com/jsch/
It automatically finds the most secure protocol possible.

And I like the performance of the RAFTP component for large transfers.

------------------------------
Pete
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[Carsten Schmitz]

I was told by support once that the RAFTP software uses this product for managing encryption:
     http://www.jcraft.com/jsch/

True that. If you unzip the jar files, you'll find the jsch files. It's not just for encryption but it's used for all things scp/sftp in RA agent me thinks. I remember having gone to Automic in the past and asked them when the new jsch version comes to RA agent ... if you have issues, it sometimes pays off to go to the jsch change logs and look for bug fixes there.

[suhas chandrahas]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the inputs. this clarifies many of my doubts and answers the questions.
:)
i will explore the options and get back to the community in case of any doubts.

Thanks
Suhas

[suhas chandrahas]

Hi All,

please correct me if I am wrong and clarify my doubts.

1: RA FTP will only work with servers which have FTP capabilities, if not then RA FTP job will not be able to transfer the files between source and destination.
2: does RA FTP agent makes the AE server behaves as an FTP server? if i need to FTP a file from AE server to a non agent FTP server, would I be able to do that?
3: if an application tries to FTP a file to AE server, would it be able to do so, if not then what do I need to enhance/enable on AE server to receive the files.

Thanks

[Carsten Schmitz]

Hi.

1) ​RA FTP will only work with servers which have FTP, SFTP or (I think) ftps capabilities. I believe I already said so.

2) no. RA FTP agent is a client, not a server.

3) if you want to use the FTP protocol to transfer files via an FTP client onto your AE server, you need an FTP server on your AE server.

Automic does not offer an FTP server software, but other vendors do.

Hth,