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File Linkage

  • Glossary

"File Linkage"

This glossary explains various keywords that will help you understand the mindset necessary for data utilization and successful DX.
This time, let's think about "file integration" as a means of connecting various systems and people.

What is file sharing?

File integration is a method of integration that uses files as a means of transferring data. It refers to the integration of systems with other systems, or systems with people, through files.
To successfully utilize IT, a means of linking systems and data is essential, and file sharing is a proven method that has been used in a variety of situations for a long time as a powerful method for achieving such linkage. By using MFT, you can efficiently build a file sharing infrastructure that achieves the high level of safety, security, and reliability required for the IT systems that support your business.

Collaboration is essential for utilizing IT systems

The use of IT in business is becoming increasingly important, and a key point for successful IT use is "preparing a means of integration." It's easy to be aware of the need to develop and implement IT systems or use cloud services, but it's also important to prepare a "platform that can freely integrate these systems, services, and a wide variety of data."

To find out why this is important, please see these articles (such as "EAI" and "iPaaS"). What we will discuss next is "what means or methods should be used to achieve integration," which is what determines the success or failure of IT utilization. Widely used methods include "integration via API," "integration via shared database," and the "integration via files" that we will discuss here. It is important to use these methods appropriately according to the situation and needs.

Why "file"?

When you hear the term "file sharing," some people may think it's not the latest technology or that it's a simple sharing method. For example, you might think it's a standard technology, since databases are often used in corporate IT systems, and that cloud services provide linking methods via APIs, and that there are many topics related to APIs in new fields.

It's true that file sharing is an old technology, not a recent fad. However, as we'll explain below, it's a sharing method with excellent features not found in other methods, making it an option you should definitely keep in mind. I think you'll also be reminded that the "files (file systems)" we use every day are actually very well-designed.

Reimagine your data and files

What kind of data is a file suitable for?

The key to business is the data itself. Data is what it contains, not how it is handled. For example, if you have employee list data, it may be stored as a file or in a database. It can also exist in various forms, such as printed on paper or data flowing over a communication network.

What are the characteristics of "saving to a file" compared to other methods? It is a collection of data that can be managed by giving each block a name, and it is suitable for storing static data rather than data that is frequently changed, and it is suitable for data that is stored rather than data that is constantly being transferred.

Let's compare it to a database

Next, let's think about "what is processed and what can be done." In the case of a database, there is first a "database engine," which (although this is not an accurate expression) stores organized data in a so-called tabular format with pre-determined data types, and is also good at executing rewrite processes while maintaining data integrity. It also has the convenience of making it easy to perform advanced analysis and aggregation processes using SQL and other tools.

What about files? We don't usually think about them because they are so commonplace, but the "file system" that Windows and other systems have is the engine that processes files.

You can assign names to each chunk of data and manage it. There is a mechanism to group files using folders or directories. You can handle different types and sizes of data, such as image data and text data, without distinguishing between them (which can be said to be more tolerant of data diversity than databases), or you can distinguish between the differences and handle them separately.

What kind of operations can a file system perform? To a certain extent, it can perform many operations, such as searching by file name, full-text search of the contents of many files, and appending or rewriting files. However, it does not excel at advanced operations such as SQL operations in a database. The strengths of a file system lie elsewhere.

The superiority of files (file systems)

On the other hand, it is also overwhelming. It has become so widespread and the environment for its use has been developed that you don't even notice its existence unless you pay attention (like air or water).

Everyone knows

Consider a situation where you are handing over data to another party. If the data is in a specific database, you are not sure whether the other party can read the data. Before that, you will often need to explain what it is. On the other hand, if it is a file, you will rarely be able to say, "Hey, we don't understand files."

"File systems" are ubiquitous

File systems have been around since the dawn of mainframes in the early 1960s, and most operating systems provide them as a feature of the operating system itself. This means that the world is filled with environments where files can be used. They can be easily used in almost any environment, including everyday PCs, on-premise environments such as Linux, UNIX, and mainframes, various cloud environments, and smartphones. Incompatibility and inability to use them is almost unheard of.

"File" can be safely transferred to the past and future

If data is stored in a text file such as CSV, which is easy for humans to read, it is possible to handle and read data created 30 years ago. This is in contrast to data created in a proprietary format 30 years ago, which can be a hopeless task to decipher. Files are a safe and reliable method for both reading past data and preserving data for the future as a long-term data asset.

It's rare for a programming language to not support it.

Most programming languages have file I/O functionality as a basic feature. Compared to accessing data in a database or reading data via an API, there are almost no cases where files are not fully supported, or where there are no libraries available and you have to create everything yourself, making it difficult.

Most engineers know how to do it

Even if you invite a first-year engineer, there are probably very few who cannot read and write files at all. Databases are difficult, so even those who don't understand them will be able to open a file.

Can be used by non-engineers (environment that can be processed using only a GUI)

Asking a non-engineer to open a database, look at its contents, or edit data would likely be impossible. On the other hand, you can get them to open a file. The reason for this is that each operating system has a file system that allows you to manipulate files using onlya GUI, and it's widespread and widely used by everyone.

A means of collaboration between humans and automated processes

This feature allows the file system to be used as a means for collaboration between people and applications (a means for IT and people to work together), as files can be used conveniently by both applications and people.

It can be used as a means of transferring data between people and systems, and also as a collaborative system where automated processing assists humans. If the data is stored in a file, humans can take over processing as a temporary measure when the system is down due to a problem.

After introducing an IT system or cloud, there may be a lot of work involved, such as downloading CSV files from one system to another and then re-uploading them. This can be seen as a person assisting the system through the nature of the files.

It also has the ability to process data

Although it may not be good at complex processing, it does have the ability to process and search data itself, and is fully capable of searching and adding data.

Related tools and know-how are in place

The tools and know-how for using file systems are well-established. For example, tools for backup processing are well-established. If you were to store your data in another way, such as a NoSQL database, it can be difficult to back up your data to prevent inconsistencies (such as data before and after an order is mixed together).

Can be linked to various systems via files

For example, when moving data from one database to another, you first write it to a CSV file and then read it back in. It's also common to download a CSV file from a cloud service and then upload it to another cloud service.
This can be thought of as a proxy that secures convenience for other systems by passing through the world of files. By passing through files, you can also connect to many other things.

File integration issues

I don't think there are many other means of information other than files that are so widespread, and that can be used by anyone, anywhere, anytime, and in such a variety of ways.

On the other hand, when using "file integration" as a means of integration, there are some issues and things to be aware of.

Need a way to link files to databases and various systems

It is possible to create an employee management system or a sales analysis system using only files (files as they are). However, compared to using a database, it can be complicated, performance can be poor, and data can easily become corrupted and lost. There are limitations to completing a system using only files.

Therefore, you need a way to integrate files with various systems and other data sources (such as databases) as needed.

A reliable means of connecting to remote systems and different file systems is required.

File systems are often well-developed for use in a local environment, but they may not have sufficient functionality for file sharing with file systems on other machines or other types of operating systems.

As I have already written, it has the potential to be used regardless of the environment, and is very promising as a means of handling it on smartphones, Windows, the cloud, and mainframes, for example, but it does not have the functionality to achieve sufficient integration with file systems or across file system differences.

It is necessary to prepare a solid file sharing infrastructure that can share files between a wide variety of environments, absorb the differences between them, and support business operations.

There are already solutions to file integration issues

One advantage of files is that they are already widely available and there are existing solutions for most issues, but there are also already sufficient solutions to the concerns mentioned above.

"Connecting" technologies (EAI and iPaaS)

There are already data integration platform that allow you to freely connect files to a wide variety of other systems and data sources. These are "connecting" technologies such as EAI and iPaaS.

Using only a GUI, you can efficiently integrate with external systems and data, or automate data processing. You can connect files to applications or databases, and return the processing results as needed. You can also automate the processes that occur before and after sending and receiving file transfer, and automate the processing of Excel files that arrive as email attachments.

Related terms: EAI, iPaaS

"MFT" enables file sharing with a wide variety of environments

There is already a means ("MFT") that can absorb differences between a wide variety of environments, such as mainframes, Windows, Linux, UNIX, and cloud services (including Japanese character code conversion), and create a solid file integration platform that can be used as a foundation to support business operations.

Related terms: MFT(Manager File Transfer)

We have already mentioned that file systems have some great features, and adding MFT to them creates a great infrastructure for file systems to work together.

File systems are easy for people to use, and even for engineers, implementing file read/write functionality is not difficult. By adding MFT to the "ability to access files," file processing skills are effectively strengthened as the "ability to connect to a wide variety of systems, including various clouds, mainframes, and systems overseas."

Advantages of realizing file sharing through "file transfer"

There are two ways to integrate files: "sharing files" and "transferring files." Many MFTs implement file integration via file transfer, as this has the advantage of allowing for loosely coupled architectures and separating responsibilities related to file processing.

In collaboration methods that use shared resources, the use of those resources is managed by both parties, which can make it difficult to determine which party is responsible when something goes wrong. Also, it can be difficult to change shared parts when modifying the system, which can be an obstacle.

When using file transfer, the source system and the destination system only need to follow the rules for exchanging files in a specific format, and the implementation of the two systems can be separated.In addition, the responsibility relationship before and after file transfer process is also separated, and the "demarcation point of responsibility" (who bears responsibility) in the event of a problem in the linked process becomes simple and clear.

When file transfer goes wrong, it becomes easier to determine what happened and where the problem is.

Related keywords (for further understanding)

  • MFT
    • There are already ways to achieve "file integration," which can be technically difficult.
      Using MFT creates a highly complete file integration infrastructure.
  • EAI
    • It explains how important and profoundly meaningful it is to be able to connect a wide variety of systems and data.
  • API
  • iPaaS
    • A cloud service that "connects" various clouds with external systems and data simply by operating on a GUI is called iPaaS.
  • Cloud integration
    • Using the cloud in conjunction with external systems and other cloud services. In order to successfully introduce and utilize cloud services, achieving cloud integration is often as important as introducing and utilizing the cloud itself.
  • Excel Link
    • Excel is an essential tool in the use of IT in the real world. By effectively linking Excel with external IT, you can make the most of Excel's strengths while smoothly promoting IT use.

Interested in file sharing?

If you are interested, please try out the product that brings the world of file sharing to life.

HULFT: The definitive Japanese MFT

Try HULFT, the de facto standard file sharing platform product with an overwhelming track record in Japan. It has been used for many years as a platform product by financial institutions with strict requirements for IT systems.

HULFT now supports integration with cloud services and container technology, and is used in situations where high performance is required, such as high-speed transfer of large files. A wide variety of environments can realize a connected world with proven technology.

HULFT10

The de facto standard for Managed File Transfer (MFT): Latest version

"HULFT WebConnect" enables safe and secure transfer via the Internet

File sharing with HULFT can be done safely and securely via the internet. As it is a cloud service, there is no need to build your own system, and there is no need for costly dedicated lines or VPNs. File sharing with domestic bases as well as overseas bases can be done with the safe, secure and reliable HULFT quality.

HULFT-WebConnect

HULFT file transfer via the Internet is now simple and secure!

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