Probably one of the most popular types of software among end users across all industries is file transfer utilities. Although there are many ways to electronically move files from one computer system to another, FTP is the most common method. Some public figures might envy FTP. Maybe they should.

"In this era of fractured political preferences, perhaps it's time to pay attention to one solution that actually unites this country." This is what we might hear if FTP had a press secretary. Fortunately for all of us, in computer rooms across this nation, we instead simply hear the voice of the people (computer operators, mostly) saying, "It's running." Aren't we glad?

This popularity with users remains despite FTP's known security hazards. For example, there's really no control over the use of FTP in many environments, which lets users wittingly, or sometimes accidentally, send unencrypted confidential information to someone who shouldn't have it. More subtle problems, such as vulnerabilities created by program exit points to call FTP, also exist. As it is with some faults dogging some politicians, however, the end-user electorate largely doesn't seem to care.

People have made efforts to address this problem on and off the System i. Older methods involve such means as controlling System i authorities, encrypting the data being sent, and using third-party FTP solutions that offer these or other protections. But all such solutions require that persons in a position of authority in an IT department recogize that FTP security is a problem and have the willingness to do something about it.

Recognition is usually not the dilemma because FTP problems are getting to be a familiar cautionary tale. Doing something about it requires both the realization that "data theft can happen here" and the determination to install some sort of FTP solution that at least tracks FTP activity, if not actually securing it. Often, the real problem is that any protection scheme might complicate the lives of end users who want to use FTP, and some of those users may considerably outrank the IT person coping with the issue. Such software changes can be unpopular, and therefore it becomes easy to put off "reform efforts" in light of more urgent IT tasks.

If you were hoping that the logic of protecting corporate information assets would eventually prevail over end-user ease-of-use preferences, that hope has been dealt a nasty blow by the release of recent results of a Hilty Moore & Associates study of FTP use commissioned by Sterling Commerce. That survey shows that end users love their FTP more than ever even though it doesn't always work reliably!

The survey queried end users at more than 100 enterprises. The good news is that 84 percent of respondents have "the same or an increased level of concern" about FTP security compared with 2006, and 60 percent say they are "in the process of stepping up their encryption efforts" with plans to encrypt 80 percent of their file transfers by the end of 2008.

If you're an IT person without an FTP solution, a wide range of products for i5/OS (dare I call it "The FTP Platform" in this context?) can offer a specific remedy. "In the interest of equal time," I list them here alphabetically by product name. Not all of them include built-in security, and some are terminal emulation products with inherent FTP capabilities. I have excluded those requiring the Java Virtual Machine. Vote wisely.

Alliance FTP Manager (Patrick Townsend & Associates)
Blue Zone Secure FTP (Seagull Software)
BOSaNOVA and BOSaNOVA TCP/IP (BOSaNOVA)
BOS Safe-T (Better On-Line Solutions)
ComMa2/400 (Fortech Italia)
Covast ODETTE File Transfer Protocol Adapter for IBM WebSphere (Covast) 
CyberFusion Integration Suite (Proginet) 
EASYVIEW (Help/Systems)
Envision Universal FTP (Surround Technologies) 
ESEND (Help/Systems)
ETU File Transfer Utility (NLynx) 
FileSWEEP/Rapid (Core Technology) 
FileXfer3X400/370 (Broderick Data Systems) 
FTP/400 (RJS Software Systems)
FTP/Client (INPRO International) 
HTP-Link iSeries (RTC Group) 
HostExplorer (Hummingbird)
OnWeb Web-to-Host (NetManage) 
PASSPORT (Zephyr) 
REDOC (Redoc) 
Reflection for the Multi-Host Enterprise (AttachmateWRQ) 
Remote Software Facility (Bug Busters Software Engineering)
RUMBA FTP (NetManage)Robot/CLIENT (Help/Systems) 
SSH Tectia Server (SSH Communications Security) 
Surveyor/400 and Transfer Anywhere (Linoma Software)
TinyTERM Plus (Century Software) 
truExchange FTP (nuBridges) 
Z/SCOPE (Cybele Software)

John Ghrist is senior products editor for System iNEWS.