THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE APPLIES TO:

• EFT™ v7.3 - v8.0.5.7

DISCUSSION

Introduction to the Accelerate Module

File transfers over TCP/IP are limited by maximum segment size, round trip time, and packet loss. Over large geographical distances, round trip time (RTT) and potential for packet loss suffer and cause the amount of data transferred to decrease. Companies who need to react quickly to stimuli from geographically remote locations require a file transfer solution that is faster than TCP/IP can provide more tailored to the specific challenges of wide area networks.

If you upgrade an EFT with Acceleration already registered, Acceleration will continue to work as before; however, you will not be able to activate this feature on new installations.

The Accelerate module for EFT:

• Uses a reliable implementation of UDP powered by patented technology from Data Expedition, Incorporated.
• Improves the time to destination, thereby reducing response times, helping you meet service-level agreements (SLAs) for transferred files. Delays in the delivery of important files can make business come to a halt. Plans are delayed, meetings are rescheduled, and business partners lose faith in your ability to deliver. Delayed file transfers can affect your bottom line in the form of penalties or fines for unfulfilled agreements or canceled contracts due to slow response times. Companies who need to react quickly to information from geographically separated locations require a file transfer solution more tailored to the specific challenges of wide areas.
• Constantly adapts to changing conditions of latency, congestion, packet loss, throttling, and any other variations it sees in the network so it can take up as much bandwidth as it can without impairing the performance of other connections that are sharing the same pipe.
• Decreases the time it takes to upload and download files between EFT servers that have long distances between them.
• Can use any authentication mode in EFT.
• Is not available with the AS2 module.
• Supports only the HTTPS protocol.
• Supported only on Windows-based systems.
• Only one EFT Site at a time may do accelerated transfers.
• Requires the latest Windows DMZ Gateway® release 3.4.0 or later. While configured and controlled via EFT, the actual acceleration occurs via DMZ to DMZ. The Accelerate module/FAST protocol is not supported on Linux versions of DMZ Gateway.
• Can be used in the Copy/Move Action and Download Action of Event Rules, and by end users after downloading scClient.
• Provides a secure, fast, uncomplicated method of uploading large files to the home office, with a simple point-and-click, preconfigured scClient.
• Decreases the time it takes to upload and download files to/from EFT in remote locations when using scClient.

Accelerate Module System Requirements

The requirements for the Accelerate module include:

• EFT Enterprise
• DMZ Gateway® v3.4 and later (Windows only)
• HTTPS must be enabled
• UDP port must be opened on the external firewall to DMZ Gateway (HTTPS is used from DMZ Gateway through internal firewall  to EFT)
• For server-to-server accelerated transfers, DMZ Gateway and EFT must be installed at each end of the transfer.

The Accelerate module/FAST protocol is not supported on Linux versions of DMZ Gateway.

Enabling Acceleration

Before you can use the Accelerate module in Event Rules, you must activate the Accelerate module (if no longer in trial mode), and enable accelerated file transfers on the DMZ Gateway tab in EFT, as described below.

Before enabling acceleration and allowing users to download scClient, you must copy the DMZ Gateway IP address to the Site's Connections tab, in the Domain box.

To enable acceleration

1. In EFT, connect to EFT and click the Server tab.
2. Click the node of the Site you want to connect with the DMZ Gateway, and then click the Gatewaynode.
3. In the right pane, the DMZ Gateway tab appears.
4. Select the Use Accelerate for this site check box. (The HTTPS check box must be selected to enable Acceleration.)
5. Specify the UDP port to use, if different from the default of 8443.
6. Click Apply to save the settings.
7. To download scClient, copy the scClient download link to the clipboard, then paste it in your browser and/or send to users who are authorized to use scClient. When the scClient is downloaded, the IP address is coded into the installer. You can only upload and download files to/from EFT at that IP address. You cannot specify a different IP address. If this address is not the DMZ Gateway address, users can still download the client, but transfers will not be accelerated.

Acceleration in Event Rules

Acceleration is available as a protocol in the Protocol: Upload Action  (Offload) and the Protocol: Download Action. Acceleration must be enabled on the DMZ Gateway tab of the Site before you can use Acceleration in Event Rules. In Event Rules, EFT sends files as a client, over the specified protocol.

NOTE: The EFT Status page will always report scClient transfers as HTTPs, because EFT is acting as a server, and the connection between EFT and DMZ Gateway is HTTPs. However, when using EFT Event Rules to transfer files via FAST you will see the protocol listed is FAST, not HTTPs, because EFT is the client, and is aware of how it's transmitting the data.

Using scClient

When the Accelerate module for EFT is enabled, the EFT administrator can copy an scClient installer link from the administration interface and paste it into any supported browser or email it to end users to install on their desktops and laptops. scClient licenses are concurrent. That is, if you purchase 5 licenses, 5 people can log in at a time. If a sixth person logs in, a message appears stating that no licenses are available.

When the scClient is downloaded, the IP address of EFT is coded in the installer. You can only upload and download files to/from EFT at that IP address. You cannot specify a different IP address or port.

Difference between scClient and using the FAST protocol in EFT Event Rules

• The EFT status page will always report scClient transfers as HTTPs, because EFT is acting as a server, and the connection between EFT and DMZ Gateway is HTTPs.
• When using EFT Event Rules to transfer files via the FAST protocol, the protocol listed is FAST instead of HTTPs, because EFT is the client and is aware how it's transmitting the data.

Logging in to scClient

To use scClient

1. Open the web browser and type or paste the web address provided by your EFT administrator into the address bar of your browser.
2. The installer, scClient.exe, is downloaded to the Downloads folder of your browser (for example, C:\Users\myname\Downloads).
3. Double-click the executable to open the client.
4. Sign in with your EFT login credentials (provided by your administrator). The scClient interface appears.

scClient Main Menu

Downloading Files

To download files

1. In the Remote Files pane, select one or more files to download, then click Download.  The Windows Select Folder dialog box appears.
2. Specify the folder to which you want to download the file(s), then click Select Folder. The files immediately being to download. You can track the download status in the Transfer Status pane.
• To cancel a download, right-click the file in the Transfer Status pane, then click Remove from list or press DELETE.
• To view the folder into which the file is being downloaded, right-click the file in the Transfer Status pane, then click Open folder location.

Uploading Files

To upload files

1. Click Upload.  The Windows Open dialog box appears.
2. Browse for and select the file(s) that you want to upload, then click Open. The files immediately begin to upload. You can track the upload status in the Transfer Status pane.
• To cancel an upload, right-click the file in the Transfer Status pane, then click Remove from list or press DELETE.
• To view the folder into which the file is being uploaded, right-click the file in the Transfer Status pane, then click Open file location.

Troubleshooting

The scClient log in C:\ProgramData\Globalscape\scClient\scClient-log.txt provides connection and transfer details, such as login failures. An example is shown below:

Logging started at (local time) Wed Oct 04 10:33:50 2017 -0500
Wed Oct 04 10:33:50 2017 INFO Success initializing Acceleration DLL
Wed Oct 04 10:33:52 2017 INFO [Listing task 1]Getting contents of /
Wed Oct 04 10:33:52 2017 INFO [Listing task 1]A certificate is required to complete client authentication
Wed Oct 04 10:33:52 2017 ERROR [Listing task 1]Task Failed: A certificate is required to complete client authentication
Wed Oct 04 10:34:11 2017 ERROR Error during logout: A certificate is required to complete client authentication