DataExpress – when it comes to moving files, are we there yet?

When you head out onto Americas highways, and I suspect it is the same across Europe and places like Australia and Africa, you quickly become aware of the vastness of the country. Driving for hours between cities either exhilarates you or brings you to boredom, but either way, that popular refrain “are we there yet” inevitably can be heard. It’s no coincidence that freeway off-ramps worldwide not only have gas stations, but also motels and fast food outlets as almost any excuse can be used to justify the brief detour.

Data center managers may not be exhilarated or bored in quite the same way as those travelling the breadth of continents, but after a fashion they quickly prioritize routine tasks fairly low down on the list – in today’s everyone connected / everyone online, the primary tasks are almost always interrupt-driven with the unexpected always carrying the day. Whether there has been a network disruption or perhaps, more seriously, a possible unauthorized intrusion attempt by a hacker, there’s almost no time given to that daily report that is transmitted each night to a senior executive or an outside agency. Ask many data center managers about these delivery services that they facilitate and there is almost universal acceptance by them that well, I guess it all went well as we haven’t heard anything to the contrary.

And yet, “are we there yet” may hold far more significance than first thought, particularly if the need to get there has been a supported function for a long time. When it comes to government agencies or authorities, for instance, getting them the information on time and with nothing left out, can be lost in the noise of the day even as the smallest negative impact to the business may far exceed all of the positive outcomes of the day – failing an SLA can be an expensive exercise depending on the type of business being pursued. It is therefore not a trivial matter to know that you aren’t there yet!

For the NonStop community, whether the enterprise is in finance or retail, healthcare or insurance or any market segment at all that needs a file, a report or a spreadsheet, the demands are the same. Get it to me at the moment I need it. “There are always questions being raised by even the most mature of NonStop users as to why files are still being moved,” said DataExpress CEO, Billy Whittington. “Consider the large credit card processor that needs data from its providers to process clearing and settlement. Without moving data this would provide some significant challenges, not to mention the trickle effect of a loss of confidence in the provider by their customers.”
DataExpress is in the business of managing the secure movement of files. The use of the term files is simply a reference to the best way to package the shipments. In the world of ecommerce and online shopping we have all grown familiar with, the piles of ubiquitous cardboard boxes sitting on our doorstep is a reminder of just how best to get items of all shapes and sizes efficiently moved between end points; in this case, the wholesaler / retailer and the customer. The presence of tracking numbers provided online at the time of purchase is simply a means of getting more complete information as to when we can expect the delivery. In some respects, the boom in product sales of basic security systems like RING can be attributed to our interest in knowing if our shipments have arrived. Yes, it is there! On your doorstep!

For the DataExpress user today, the same controls and reporting mechanisms exist such that automating the whole process is simple to do. Whether it’s a case of one-to-one shipment of a file or one-to-many or even many-to-one, it can all be automated – DataExpress can accept files even as it can go out there and grab files. It matters little once the set-up has been completed. “Perhaps another instance of the benefits that come with DataExpress has to do with healthcare,” said Whittington. “We all know medical records from doctors/hospitals etc. need to get to the appropriate insurance company for processing and that if the data doesn’t move, nobody gets paid!” Credit card companies and medical practices, it doesn’t really matter as it’s all the same. Show me the file and show me it now!

DataExpress has built up considerable expertise over the decades and there isn’t a file movement scenario it hasn’t addressed. When it comes to DataExpress NonStop (DXNS), it’s encouraging to see HPE supporting its partners and working more closely with them even as it fosters open dialogues between partners. “When it comes to DXNS we recognize that DataExpress is a major piece of infrastructure that at all times can respond to the question, are we there yet?” said Whittington. “But it’s also noteworthy that increasingly, HPE is looking to vendors with unique infrastructure options such as DataExpress has today, to cooperate and with this in mind, DataExpress continues to interact with the broader NonStop community and this is a pursuit we maintain as we see the potential for further NonStop business for DataExpress.

There is a lot of attention being given to fintechs today following the success of companies like PayPal, Square and Stripe, to name just a few. Emblematic of the future of payments for the moment whatever data is being generated continues to come from them in the form of files with nothing special required as of now. “While it’s doubtful anything ‘special’ is being done to support them for now,” said Whittington, “this could all change in the future as they become more integrated into the global world of finance. But again, no matter how new-age any market segment may appear, they still need to move files and their concerns about whether the data is there yet will be no different to what we see coming from the most traditional financial institution. Indeed, should you be fortunate enough to find that special ‘magic lantern’ on the beach this summer and you ask the Genie for a bazillion dollars, it still has to be moved into your account with lots of other interested parties being advised of your sudden windfall!”

Should you be interested in finding out more about the value DataExpress can provide you – windfalls from Genies excepted – email or call us; we would be only too happy to discuss how DataExpress best meets the business needs you may have today!

sales@dataexpress.com | +1.972.899.3476
http://www.dataexpress.com