Features of the FTAC function

For file transfer, a distinction is made between various functions. For access protection, the file transfer function being executed by the system is decisive. At first glance, there are only two such functions:

• sending a file and

• receiving a file.

Sending a file entails transmitting data from the system to be protected, while receiving a file involves the transfer of data into this system. However, for reasons of data security it is also important to know who requested a function in the system being protected. In FT terminology, this person is referred to as the initiator or submitter of the FT request. Initiators can be divided into two groups:

• those in the system being protected (outbound requests)

• those in partner systems (inbound requests)

With this information, we can now make a distinction between four basic functions:

• Outbound send

• Outbound receive

• Inbound send

• Inbound receive

The possibility of processing transfer data (pre-, post-, and follow-up processing) during a file transfer should be considered an additional function. For FT requests submitted in the local system, no additional protection is necessary since anyone in the local system allowed to initiate FT requests already has access to the available resources. Processing in the remote system does not require any protective measures in the local system either. One function that does require protection in the local system is

• Inbound processing

which is initiated from a remote system.

Partner systems also have the option of using the file management functions to view directory or file attributes in their local system, to modify file attributes and to delete files and directories. This results in a further function:

• Inbound file management

File management, unlike the other functions, encompasses several different request options, which in turn are partially linked to the functions inbound send and inbound receive:

Inbound file management function	Prerequisite
Show file attributes	Inbound send permitted
Modify file attributes	Inbound receive and inbound file management permitted
Rename files	Inbound receive and inbound file management permitted
Delete files	Inbound receive permitted

The protection mechanisms offered by the FTAC function are primarily achieved through the use of admission sets and admission profiles.