Three categories, three problems
| Category | Built for | Typical products | Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
| File sharing and sync | Working on documents together; keeping folders in sync across devices | Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, WeTransfer for one-off sends | Very large files, long-distance throughput, formal delivery records |
| Managed file transfer (MFT) | Scheduled, audited exchange between systems and trading partners over SFTP, FTPS, AS2 and HTTPS | GoAnywhere, Axway, IBM Sterling | Speed over distance; person-to-person simplicity; cost |
| Accelerated transfer | Moving large files and directories fast over long or lossy links, with delivery to people and sites | IBM Aspera, Signiant, MASV, RIPTON CLOUD | Document collaboration; protocol compatibility with legacy partners |
Which one is your problem?
- If people co-edit and comment, and the files are documents, it is file sharing.
- If a partner's system must receive files over SFTP or AS2 on a schedule with retention rules, it is MFT.
- If the pain is that a large deliverable takes hours to cross a distance, or a folder of many files takes all night, it is accelerated transfer.
- If you have the last two together, look for an accelerated product with MFT-style controls, or run both with the accelerated product handling the routes that hurt.
Where RIPTON CLOUD sits
RIPTON CLOUD is an accelerated transfer product that carries the parts of MFT that buyers need for delivery: named recipients with scoped, expiring links, Shared Inboxes with approvals, schedules and pipelines, roles, SSO and audit. It does not do document collaboration, continuous sync, or SFTP and AS2 wire compatibility, and its solution pages say so.