When you start a synchronous request, the file is transferred immediately. You have the advantage of knowing immediately whether or not the transfer was successful. On Unix and Windows systems, a display on screen allows you to follow the progress of the file transfer during the entire transmission period.
You can use the result as decision criterion for further steps. If transfer failed because the partner was not available, for example, the file transfer is aborted and you can restart the request later.
In the case of an asynchronous request, openFT transfers the file either at the next possible time or at the time you specify. This allows the file transfer to be started at a time when the partner is available, or when transmission charges are particularly low. The request is stored in a request queue and you receive confirmation that the request has been accepted. Your system is thus immediately free for other tasks and you do not have to take care of executing the request. Thus, for example, if it is not possible to set up a connection for file transfer at a particular time, openFT re-attempts start of file transfer at defined intervals; even if a fault occurs during transfer, it is restarted automatically. The restart function for asynchronous requests can also be deactivated partner-specifically and via operation parameter settings.
You can start several asynchronous requests. The requests are placed in a request queue until they are successfully executed, or cancelled by you or their maximum lifetime as set globally has been reached (see the section "Controlling the duration of a request"). You can use the request queue to obtain information on all request that have not yet been executed.
Requests issued by a remote system, i.e. inbound requests, are always executed as asynchronous requests in the local system by openFT.