HULFT Short Stories

~ file transfer Problem Solving Case Study~ Vol.11 file transfer time reduced to 1/10 compared to FTP! Greatly improved business efficiency!

Hello.
My name is Okazaki and I am in charge of HULFT seminar.

June is here and the heat is really starting to set in.
At the same time, the hectic start of the term has calmed down, so isn't it time to take a breather?
Everyone, please take care to avoid heatstroke and other health issues.

In this HULFT anecdote, we will continue from the last one and introduce a case study of how HULFT was used to solve file transfer problem.
This is a case study in which file transfer work previously performed using FTP was replaced with HULFT, resulting in a significant reduction in file transfer time and operational risks.
So let's start with your problem and see how we can solve it!

assignment

file transfer take a long time and synchronization between systems lags

This customer used FTP to file transfer between their business system and warehouse management system.
When file transfer via FTP, if polling wait times are added, it can take up to 30 minutes for a single data transfer, resulting in a time lag before receiving and shipping instructions are completed, making it difficult to carry out business smoothly.
One of the challenges that often comes up in warehouse management is managing inventory in and out.
If the situation is not updated in real time, it will result in waste such as unnecessary purchases and inventory movements, so accurate management is required.

The impact of file transfer problems is widespread, and recovery will take time.

Also, with FTP, even if file transfer was completed successfully, there were cases where the data was missing or not received correctly.
As we have mentioned many times in this column, FTP does not guarantee that the contents of the file sent are correct (matching).
We could send the package, but the contents were incorrect. If we shipped the package based on that incorrect information, it would cause inconvenience to the customer and cause a credibility problem for the company.
Furthermore, if a problem occurred with file transfer, it would affect subsequent processing, and recovery work would take a lot of time and effort.
If incorrect data is linked, it will result in the need to roll back related information such as inventory management databases, cancel shipping instructions, and cause inconvenience to customers after shipment has already been made.
Although it is possible to send files using FTP, there was a need to improve the unstable operation in terms of reliability and certainty.

Now, let's take a look at how HULFT solved the problem.

Solution with HULFT

Point (1) Reducing file transfer time

HULFT assigns an ID to each connected client (transfer file unit), allowing you to control the timing of file transfer start on an ID basis, and start sending files without having to wait in line for polling.

Since polling is not performed, there is no need to wait for each connection, which also reduces network traffic.
With HULFT, you can adjust the number of simultaneous file transfer using the multiplicity setting, allowing you to distribute the load according to the network conditions.

Furthermore, the file trigger function and HULFT Script can monitor file status and automatically file transfer when they are updated, which is effective in optimizing file transfer operations.

Do you remember, how to perform file transfer in HULFT?

① send request from sender

send can be done at the sender's timing. send processing will be started as soon as the data is created.

② Send request from the receiving side

Retry is possible at the receiver's timing. There is no constant network traffic like with polling.

③ Request issuance from file monitoring

Use the file trigger function to automate send processes, control send timing, and centrally manage execution management with HULFT.

④ Request issuance from schedule

Use the schedule function to schedule and automate request issuance. Schedule execution can be done from either send side or receive side.

Point (2) Improved reliability of data integration

HULFT has a consistency verification function that checks whether the sent data has been received correctly.
If a mismatch is detected between the data on send side and the data on receive side, an error will be reported.
Error notifications are sent to both send and receive sides, allowing problems to be detected immediately, and the location of the error can be identified and resolved in a short amount of time.

In this case, the customer had to identify the problem each time a problem occurred by checking the product number, correcting the problem, and then resending the data. However, if they were to check the number of records in HULFT, for example, they would immediately know from file transfer history which record the error occurred on, which would allow them to identify the problem much faster.

Do you remember HULFT 's consistency verification?

1. size
2. Number of records
3. hash value

That's right.

Point (3) Processing stops when a problem occurs

In warehouse management, when updating shipping information, you may also need to link with various data and systems, such as shipping instructions, updating inventory databases, and updating sales databases.
These processes are often automated, so if there is a problem with file transfer or data integration, it can have a huge impact.

HULFT has a job linkage function as a mechanism for file transfer and linkage with subsequent systems.
The job linking function allows you to register separate jobs to be launched when file transfer are successful and when there is an error, making it possible to create simple system linking flows.

The customer in this case had a system in place that would automatically stop subsequent processing if there was a problem with the transfer, such as missing data, so they were able to minimize the impact on their business when a problem occurred.

Do you remember, what jobs can be set up in HULFT? What jobs can be set up in HULFT?

1. Pre-send job
2. Post-send normal job
3. Job for abnormal send
4. receive normal job
5. Post-receive error job

That's right.

If you want to stop subsequent processing if a problem occurs with file transfer, you can set up a process in the normal job so that subsequent processing will not start if an error occurs with the transfer.
If you want to divide the conditions more finely, you can also use HULFT Script to draw the integration flow.

effect

Timely synchronization of inventory information

By eliminating the waiting time of FTP polling, file transfer time has been reduced to a maximum of three minutes, allowing inventory information to be synchronized in a timely manner.

When a transfer problem occurs, the impact is minimized and the effort required for recovery is reduced.

By verifying data integrity, we were able to significantly reduce the effort required to identify and recover from data problems.
Furthermore, when a problem occurs, subsequent processing is automatically stopped, minimizing the impact of the problem.
This has resulted in reduced system maintenance costs and led to cost savings.

Following on from the previous short story, we introduced a case study of HULFT implementation.
file transfer via FTP and file transfer via HULFT each have their own advantages depending on the usage scenario.
There is no initial cost for FTP, and if you have any questions, there is a lot of know-how available online.
However, if you want to streamline your operations, such as sending data reliably or recovering as efficiently as possible when a problem occurs, you can also experience the benefits of HULFT.

In addition to file transfer, we also introduce case studies on solving issues related to system integration and data integration, so if you're interested, please visit "HULFT".

Click here for "Introduction Case Studies"

This is the final installment of the 11-part HULFT short story series.
We have posted short stories about issues related to file transfer, HULFT features, and case studies.
file transfer may seem like a simple process at first glance, but when used for business purposes, there are actually many things to be mindful of, such as timing, log management, and how to deal with errors if they occur, making it a complex process.
There are several ways to share files, but there is an optimal method depending on your environment and requirements.
I hope this HULFT anecdote helps you solve file transfer problems.


We will continue to hold seminars and events to introduce products and solve problems, so if you have any questions or concerns about file transfer or data integration, please feel free to join us.

Thank you for reading HULFT short stories so far!

Inquiry

We look forward to receiving your opinions, comments, and letters regarding this column.
Contact:hulseminar@hulft.com

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