What is advantage of Connect:Direct over FTP?

[Leena]

What is the difference between Connect:Direct and FTP? In our company they are bringing the Connect:Direct and we are supposed to use it going forward. Is it like Connect:Direct more secure than FTP and provides more functionality than FTP?

But if we are just to transfer some file from mainframes to windows, will not a plain FTP be just as good as Connect:Direct?

[Robert Sample]

FTP is an international standard for file transfers between computers. As such, it is implemented on almost every computer these days. Connect:Direct (C:D) is a software product to transfer files between computers. As such, it costs money to purchase the product and hence it is not on as many computers.

FTP is not a secure product (although variations such as SFTP and FTPS exist which provide security); the data is not encrypted or otherwise protected while on the network and hence could be intercepted by someone. C:D provides the capability to encrypt the data so intercepting the data would not allow its use by a third party.

In some cases (PCI compliance comes to mind), FTP is simply not an option as the data has to be encrypted while on the network.