Today’s businesses are exchanging more data than ever—across clouds, continents, and complex systems. But not all file transfers are created equal. Learn how a file hub’s capabilities can simplify your data movement strategy, improve performance, and reduce operational headaches.
But first, what exactly is a file hub?
The role of a file hub in a managed file transfer strategy
In an enterprise MFT context, a file hub refers to a scalable architectural pattern for orchestrating file transfers across distributed systems, hybrid environments, and cloud platforms.
A file hub is not a replacement for traditional complex/heavy MFT gateways in all cases – gateways are still recommended for external partner communications, regulatory compliance needs, or more complex protocol mediation. But a file hub complements gateways by handling internal, high-volume, hybrid, or cloud-native transfers more efficiently.
As we’ll see below, Axway Transfer CFT enables secure, reliable, and high-performance internal data movement. And its capabilities make it particularly well-suited to power a file hub, acting as a smart intermediary between endpoints.
See also: [5 Capabilities of Axway’s Secure File Transfer Secret Weapon: Transfer CFT]
Use cases for a Transfer CFT file hub
One of the simplest ways to understand the benefits of a file hub architecture is through real-world examples. Let’s explore a few.
Store-to-corporate file distribution
A retail chain with 10,000+ stores needs to send data that includes sales and inventory files to corporate systems effortlessly, ensuring reliable delivery and prioritization.
The solution must meet several key requirements:
- Lightweight infrastructure: Each store needs a minimal local setup to support daily file transfers efficiently and reliably, with low resource consumption.
- Reliable and resilient transfers: The system must guarantee delivery and support automatic resume capabilities to handle network interruptions during file transfers without data loss.
- Scalability: At the corporate level, the solution must be capable of sending and receiving data across their 10,000+ stores, integrating seamlessly with corporate systems hosted on mainframes, cloud platforms, and event streaming technologies like Kafka.
- Operational visibility: Real-time monitoring and analytics are essential to ensure high throughput, zero downtime, and proactive issue detection across the entire data flow.
A file hub architecture using Transfer CFT is ideal here because it allows control of data exchange between each store, acting as a central orchestrator without requiring complex infrastructure.
Transfer CFT ensures reliable, prioritized delivery of daily sales and inventory files, even over unstable networks. It also provides centralized visibility and control, which is critical when scaling thousands of endpoints.
Cloud-native supply chain integration
A manufacturer with a large supply chain must be able to route files between on-prem ERP systems and cloud apps such as AWS S3 and Azure Blob. Their key needs include:
- Efficient large file transfers: The ability to transfer large files quickly and reliably across geographically distributed environments, with high latency.
- Cloud-native deployment: A containerized solution that supports fault tolerance, high availability, and rapid provisioning via CI/CD pipelines—offering better uptime and cost efficiency compared to traditional on-prem setups.
- Flexible file routing: Seamless routing of files between on-prem systems and various cloud storage platforms (e.g., AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob), with built-in processing capabilities to optimize workflows and normalize configurations.
- Real-time insights: Integration with event streaming platforms like Kafka to enable real-time inventory updates and operational visibility, supporting agile decision-making without requiring changes to existing source systems.
In this scenario, a Transfer CFT file hub simplifies the complexity of routing files between on-prem systems and multiple cloud platforms. It enables seamless, secure transfers with built-in routing logic and cloud storage integration—without staging.
Transfer CFT’s containerized deployment supports CI/CD pipelines, making it a natural fit for agile, cloud-native environments.
Healthcare data exchange and compliance
A healthcare provider must move sensitive patient records and imaging files securely between hospitals and cloud storage. Their core needs include:
- Secure data transfer: The ability to prioritize critical healthcare data delivery, end-to-end assurance that files will reach their destination intact, and integrity with strong encryption (e.g., PGP) to protect patient records and imaging data.
- High availability architecture: A resilient infrastructure that supports continuous data availability and meets strict SLAs, while scaling to accommodate expanding healthcare networks.
- Cloud-native deployment: Containerized solutions that boost security, streamline deployments, and improved efficiency in regulated environments—especially when integrating with multiple cloud providers.
- Real-time analytics integration: Seamless data flow into analytics platforms via event streaming (e.g., Kafka), enabling AI-driven diagnostics, and maintaining persistent event histories to support regulatory compliance.
Transfer CFT ensures that sensitive healthcare data is transferred securely and reliably between hospitals and cloud storage. It enables end-to-end encryption, high availability, and real-time integration with analytics platforms—supporting both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
Its ability to prioritize critical files ensures that urgent medical data is never delayed.
Transfer CFT capabilities – and why it makes an excellent file hub
Transfer CFT is more than just a file transfer tool—it’s a powerful solution built for reliability, hybrid/distributed environments, scalability, and control.
It guarantees file delivery with retry logic, resume capabilities, and byte-level verification. You can prioritize critical files and optimize bandwidth usage through throttling and transfer windows, ensuring all data arrives intact and your most important files are transferred first and without delay.
Transfer CFT delivers seamless interoperability across 16 operating systems—from mainframes to containers—enabling smooth integration through APIs, folder monitoring, schedulers, and processing actions. This ensures diverse applications and systems work together effortlessly.
With a minimal footprint—just 128 MB of RAM and 140 MB of disk space—it’s up to 30 times lighter than the average managed file transfer (MFT) solution.
Secure external file exchanges are supported through DMZ-compatible architecture using the Secure Relay component. This ensures safe and controlled data movement beyond internal networks.
To further strengthen data protection, Transfer CFT now supports post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, designed to safeguard sensitive information against emerging threats from quantum computing.
Cloud storage integration is built-in, allowing access to AWS S3, Azure Blob, and Google Cloud Storage without local staging.
Whether you’re moving terabytes across continents or syncing data between hybrid environments, Transfer CFT is optimized for high-volume, long-distance transfers. With alerts and monitoring, you stay in control.
Transfer CFT is fast: it moves 1 file of 51 TB in 17 hours from Chicago to Sweden. A single instance can treat up to 2000 parallel connections. It also enables horizontal scaling to ensure high availability and system resiliency.
See also: Axway Transfer CFT is fast, really fast. Here’s the proof
And with the latest features, you have access to even more capabilities to expand the position of Transfer CFT as a file hub: containerization for effective deployment, built-in routing and processing to simplify integration, and Kafka integration to enable event-driven/real-time data processing (like sales analytics, fraud detection, and inventory updates) without redesigning your data source applications.
A file hub offers a powerful duo with classic gateway solutions
Rather than choosing between either a classic gateway or Transfer CFT as file hub, enterprises can leverage a classic gateway hub for governance-heavy, compliance-driven processes and advanced routing, paired with Transfer CFT for high-speed, scalable transfers.
This complementary approach delivers end-to-end coverage—from advanced processing to agile performance—without sacrificing security or reliability.
Traditional MFT gateways are centralized and often complex to deploy. Transfer CFT offers a decentralized alternative that’s easier to scale and maintain. It supports essential protocols like SFTP and PeSIT, while gateways may offer broader protocol support.
Gateways focus on business continuity and external partner communication. Transfer CFT, on the other hand, excels when it comes to performance, reliability, and cloud-native deployment. It’s ideal for internal exchanges with intensive workload, hybrid environments, and integration with real-time processing pipelines.
Is a file hub the answer?
If you’re looking to modernize your file transfer infrastructure, now is the time to explore a Transfer CFT file hub.
By offloading internal exchanges to Transfer CFT, your gateway becomes more efficient and focused. Built for hybrid environments, Transfer CFT is both cost-effective and robust.
Whether you’re integrating mainframes, cloud platforms, or Kafka data pipelines, Transfer CFT bridges the gap.
With cloud-native deployment, built in routing and processing capabilities, Kafka integration, and post-quantum cryptography support, Transfer CFT empowers your organization to stay agile, compliant, and efficient—even as demands evolve.
Start the interactive demo to see Transfer CFT in action.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why can’t I use only my MFT Gateway for all exchanges?
Short answer: Centralized gateways can become single points of failure. During peak loads, non-critical transfers may delay time-sensitive ones. Transfer CFT decentralizes file movement, reducing bottlenecks, and improving fault tolerance.
Long answer: You may rely on one or two centralized, complex gateways to handle all transfers. However, this creates a single point of failure. When peak loads occur, non-critical transfers can flood the system, causing delays for time-sensitive files.
Instead of depending solely on heavy, centralized gateways, Transfer CFT enables you to decentralize and maintain cost control.
This means:
- Fewer bottlenecks
- Improved fault tolerance (your system won’t go down because one node fails)
- Better performance and scalability
2. If Transfer CFT has strong file hub capabilities, why should I still use a complex Gateway?
Short answer: While gateways are optimized for secure external communications and regulatory compliance—typically operating in the DMZ—Transfer CFT is designed for high-volume, long-distance internal transfers, offering superior performance, reliability, and operational resilience across distributed environments.
Long answer: Transfer CFT is a complementary solution to a traditional MFT Gateway:
- MFT Gateway: Designed as a centralized exchange platform for external partner communication – typically operating in the DMZ – focusing on security (authorization, external network connectivity, access control policies) and regulatory compliance.
- Transfer CFT: Optimized for performance and reliability, handling high-volume transfers, data-intensive operations, and long-distance transfers over high-latency networks.
Additional differences:
- Gateway supports a wide range of protocols, while CFT focuses on essential ones like SFTP and PeSIT.
- CFT clusters are built for scalability and performance, while gateways like SecureTransport emphasize business continuity (e.g., zero downtime).
3. How do I decide which tasks go to the gateway vs. the file hub?
Short answer: Use the gateway for high-security and compliance tasks. Use Transfer CFT as a file hub for fast, simple exchanges, especially between distributed applications or hybrid environments.
Long answer: A good rule of thumb: if it needs high security and/or strict compliance, use the gateway; if it needs speed and simplicity, use the Transfer CFT file hub.
Gateway usage samples:
- Exchanges with external partners (you can manage whitelisting policies, vault integrations)
- Strict compliance is required (JMS must be used)
Transfer CFT file hub usage samples:
- Exchanges between applications located in distributed networks or networks with different security levels: CFT acts as a HUB between different networks.
- Exchanges between on-premises and cloud: CFT acts as a proxy for hybrid environments
4. What’s the recommended architecture for hybrid environments?
Transfer CFT integrates with mainframes, cloud storage, and containers. It supports guaranteed delivery, resume capabilities, and transfer acceleration across long distances.
Long answer:
Transfer CFT is the single performant and reliable solution to cover all requirements:
- Integration with mainframe apps
- Read/monitor and write from AWS S3 buckets and Azure Blob storages
- Cloud-native deployment (container non-orchestrated or K8s/Open Shift solution)
- File hub built-in capabilities to move data between on premises and the cloud, between AWS and Azure
- Guaranteed delivery and resume capabilities against network interruptions during file transfers
- Transfer acceleration over long distances
5. How is a hub better than a peer-to-peer solution for distributed apps?
With Axway Transfer CFT, only the hub needs firewall rules. Apps stay isolated and secure. It accelerates transfers, handles interruptions, and supports encryption.
Long answer:
Transfer CFT provides an efficient hub model for application-to-application transfers across locations:
- Only the hub needs routing/firewall rules → applications remain isolated and secure
- Accelerates large file transfers over high-latency links
- Handles intermittent connectivity with resume/restart from last known state
- Supports secure channels and optional PGP encryption for cloud storage
6. Will distributed MFT components cost more than a single gateway?
No. Transfer CFT is lightweight in deployment and maintenance, reducing operational overhead by simplifying tasks that would otherwise require gateway configuration or IT involvement.
Deployments can be standardized with prebuilt configurations and automated via CI/CD pipelines.
7. Is a Transfer CFT file hub secure for enterprise use?
Axway Transfer CFT offers TLS, PGP encryption, access controls, audit trails, and integration with SAML SSO providers.
While it may not enforce every policy a gateway does, Transfer CFT is secure by design and can be configured to meet enterprise-grade security standards.