Resilient Transfers

SFTPPlus MFT includes built-in mechanisms to ensure reliable client-side file transfers, even when network or permission issues occur. The platform automatically detects, retries, and logs failed transfers to maintain consistent and safe data movement between systems.

Handling Transfer Errors ​

During client-side transfers, two main types of errors can occur:

  1. Server connection errors – Network-related issues that prevent SFTPPlus from connecting to the remote server, or authentication failures where the remote server rejects the connection.
  2. Access permission errors – Situations where a connection is successfully established, but the remote server denies a file operation such as upload, download, or delete.

SFTPPlus handles these two error types through separate components, allowing precise control over retry behavior and error recovery.

You can read more about fault-tolerant transfer, as part of the transfer configuration page

Connection and Authentication Errors ​

Connection and authentication errors are managed by the location component. This component defines the remote server address, authentication credentials, and retry parameters.

Administrators can configure:

  • The number of retry attempts for connection failures.
  • The wait period between retries.

These settings allow SFTPPlus to automatically reattempt the connection until the server becomes available again or the configured limits are reached.

File Access Errors ​

Access permission and file operation errors are handled by the transfer component. This component provides similar retry settings, ensuring that temporary permission or access issues do not stop a scheduled transfer entirely.

Each failure generates a transfer event, which is recorded in the audit log. Administrators can use the event handling system to trigger alerts or notifications, for example, to send an email when a transfer fails after all retries have been completed.

Safe File Handling and Data Protection ​

SFTPPlus ensures that source files are only deleted after they are successfully transferred and archived. If a transfer fails or is incomplete, the original file remains in the source location. This prevents accidental data loss and ensures that files are only removed once they are fully secured at the destination.

Monitoring Transfer Activity ​

In addition to managing transfer failures, SFTPPlus can observe transfer activity patterns and raise alerts when expected files are missing.

For each transfer configuration, administrators can define monitoring rules that trigger events if:

  • No files are transferred within a specific time window.
  • Fewer files than expected are transferred compared to typical activity levels.

This capability helps detect upstream or downstream process issues where files are not generated as expected.

For example, an accounting department may send payment order files at the end of each week. If no payment orders are generated on Friday, SFTPPlus can automatically send an alert email to the accounting team, indicating a possible problem in the process that produces those files.

By monitoring expected transfer volumes, SFTPPlus provides early detection of silent failures in external systems and ensures business workflows remain consistent.