File Transfer System Background
The File Transfer System (FTS) is based upon an existing application currently running in a Fortune 500 company. The design goal of the FTS system was to provide a file transfer mechanism which would allow users to transfer text files between different hardware and software platforms within the company. The system design also required that users would not have usernames or passwords defined on the respective systems in order to transfer files. The current FTS system provides the ability to transfer text files between IBM Mainframe, Unix, DEC VMS, IBM AS/400, and Novell platforms.
As implemented, FTS incorporates a RDMBS database, which servers as the single repository for all file specific information. The FTS DB contains a table of file specific information, which details every attribute necessary to define how/where to locate a file on a given system. These attributes include, but are not limited to the following, hostname of the system, host platform type, volumename of the file system containing the file, absolute path of the file's directory/fileset, and the filename of the file. Each record in the FTS DB contains a unique key field called Alias, is used by the FTS system to define a file's record. The FTS DB also contains a table of FTS username/password pairs for each computer system.
The backbone of the FTS system is based upon Message Oriented Middleware (MOM) software which provides message queueing and compensates for the varying loads created by multiple computers /applications randoming submitting messages. The inherent design of the MOM software allows an application to create a large number of messages in a very short period of time (a data burst), and then queue and deliver the messages to the destination system when resources become available. The MOM messages only contain information defining the file source and it's destination. The actual files are not transferred using MOM messages. The FTS system receives the MOM messages and then transfers the respective file using standard FTP and and DEC file transfer protocols.
Besides allowing applications to create file transfer requests to the FTS system, the system also allows users to create file transfer requests using either an online VT100 character-based form or a Windows Visual Basic GUI. The Windows GUI also has a feature which notifies the user when a file has arrived in the respective user's FTS transfer directory. This feature was designed to reduce the need to train users on the navigation of Windows directories using utilities such as Microsoft File Manager (Win 3.1), File Explorer (Win95/NT), or DOS command.
Administration of the FTS DB is performed via VT100 character-based forms. These utilities allow administration staff to create,/modify, or delete FTS DB records.
Current desired enhancements to the FTS system include replacing the Windows GUI with a Web-based browser client and implementing the required business logic in either Java applets or servlets. This enhancement would greatly reduce the complexity of supporting the current remote dialin users while increasing the supportability and reliability of remote FTS users. A second enhancement is to convert the VT100 character-based forms used for the FTS DB administration, with a Web-based browser client and integrating the Web server CGI/servlet with the MOM software.