VFTP Server - Managed FTP-SFTP Conversion
FTP is consistently one of the biggest threats to z/OS data infrastructure. The inherent shortcomings of FTP present both known and hidden costs in the areas of Security, Automation, and Visibility.
In the VFTP Server and Tectia® SSH Server solution, FTP Job transfers are converted to SFTP simply and transparently, without requiring any changes to the JCL.
VFTP Server manages and audits the transfer of data to and from FTP servers and clients in z/OS, protecting access and redirecting traffic through secure routes. Additionally, it offers a scripting language for batch processing automation and increases visibility into FTP data transfers within the z/OS environment.
Robust and easy-to-use controls for configuring and managing the behavior of z/OS FTP clients ensure compliance and monitor security.
And how do you completely protect all file transfers in z/OS?
With all the features for file transfer, VFTP Server can be used together with Tectia SSH, offering a secure and definitive FTP Client/Server solution for the mainframe!
VFTP Server provides secure FTP for file transfers between all platforms and the mainframe.
When FTP was developed, security issues were not taken into consideration. Data, commands, IDs, and passwords were transmitted in plain text, without any encryption. There was no secure way to transmit data via FTP other than within the same private computing environment, without any transfer to the outside world.
This data traffic needed to be protected as soon as possible!
VFTP - SSH encrypts FTP traffic from z/OS Jobs, eliminating the need to edit and test a single line of JCL code.
Secure FTP with SSH and Vitalsigns for FTP™ (VFTP):
Secure Shell (SSH) is a widely trusted encryption protocol that uses public/private keys (also known as PKI) to authenticate users and machines, encrypt traffic, and ensure data integrity.
It is the standard network security tool in the Linux/Unix world, which generally has its remote access protected by SSH. Furthermore, Microsoft® implemented it in Windows® in 2016.
By using the VFTP and Tectia® SSH solution (the latter a product of SSH Communications Security, the creators of SSH), the mainframe environment has access to exclusive SSH services for z/OS FTP.
Converting FTP to Secure FTP (SFTP):
Converting FTP to SFTP allows FTP and SSH data to be transmitted to an SSH client/server in a remote environment—a common scenario in Linux/Unix systems.
SFTP is the SSH version of FTP; it is the file transfer mechanism built into the SSH client/server. However, SFTP commands differ from FTP commands, meaning jobs do not "communicate" directly with SSH. Some form of converter is required to bridge this gap.
Therefore, an SSH client is needed on z/OS, positioned between the FTP client and the outside world. Jobs "talk" to the FTP client. The FTP client passes commands and data to the SSH client, which converts the FTP traffic into SFTP. The secure SFTP traffic then travels over the SSH connection to the remote SSH server.
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGING PART OF THIS PROCEDURE?
Installing SSH clients and servers and getting them to "talk" to each other is relatively simple.
The difficult part is configuring FTP clients and servers to work with their SSH counterparts.
This is where VFTP comes in. VFTP is intelligent control software that sits between the jobs and the native z/OS FTP client.
VFTP acts as an FTP client proxy. z/OS must be configured to use VFTP, which then directs FTP commands and data. When jobs send data, they communicate with VFTP; VFTP examines job names, user IDs, or destinations, and then forwards the messages to the native z/OS FTP client, along with the necessary SSH encryption and/or conversion settings.
CONCLUSION:
The SDS VFTP-SSH solution secures any outbound FTP traffic destined for a remote environment where SSH is installed.
VFTP-SSH encrypts FTP traffic from z/OS jobs without requiring the editing or testing of a single line of JCL code.
Furthermore, VFTP provides much simpler and more comprehensive monitoring of z/OS FTP traffic than what z/OS offers natively. And auditors love that!
FEATURES
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VFTP Server users can protect individual FTP commands
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Full visibility into mainframe file transfers
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Easy-to-use browser-based GUI provides real-time FTP information
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FTP server commands are treated as secure resources
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Integrates readily with third-party mechanisms
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Adapts to the growing culture of compliance
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Provides real-time notification when FTP tasks fail