MOVEit Automation is an advanced file transfer automation tool that enables organizations to effectively manage data transfer processes, especially in environments where security is a key concern. In this article, we would like to address 15 questions that are frequently asked by our clients considering the implementation of MOVEit Automation in their companies and organizations. Let's get started!

If you're interested in MOVEit Automation and want to learn more about this tool, check out our previous article!

What information about the transferred file does MOVEit Automation gather? 

MOVEit Automation gathers detailed information about both the task status and each transferred file. Key information includes:

Status of a single task:

• Start date
• Duration
• Number of files transferred
• Size of transferred data
• Result (success, failure with error description, no transfers)

Status of a single file (file activity):

• File activity time (download, upload, process)
• Source file location (source path)
• Destination file location (destination path)
• Activity type (download, upload, process, append, rename, delete, make dir, remove dir)
• File size
• Result (success, failure with error description, ignore/no action).

What database is used by MOVEit and what is its structure? 

MOVEit Automation stores information in a MySQL database or the recommended MS SQL database. The database structure is precisely described in the documentation, facilitating data management.

How long are the data kept in the database?

MOVEit Automation has a built-in task for deleting old data. Data about executed tasks and file activities are typically stored for 40 days, while audit logs are retained for 200 days. These parameters can be adjusted or the database cleanup task can be disabled accordingly.

Does MOVEit delete the source file after transfer? 

Yes, the "After transfer" functionality in MOVEit Automation allows for the deletion or renaming of the source file after a successful transfer to the destination server (multiple destination servers can be configured).

How are permissions assigned/copied at the destination? 

MOVEit Automation allows assigning permissions (Read, Write, Execute) to users after copying the file to the destination server. This functionality applies to Linux systems. However, file owner permissions are not transferred from the source server to the destination server. On the destination server, the file has permissions according to the configuration of the user transferring data from the MOVEit server to the source server.

Is it possible to automatically run a program or script on the source server after file transfer, triggered by either successful or unsuccessfull transfers? 

Directly, operations such as deleting the source file and renaming it can be performed. There is an option to automatically run another task distinguishing successful transfer, no transfer, or failed transfer. However, direct execution of any command on the source is not possible; they can be invoked from the MOVEit Automation server. Nevertheless, it's possible to create a mechanism using PowerShell to execute an SSH command. However, this command must have access to the same private keys as MOVEit itself.

How are SSH keys stored in MOVEit? 

SSH keys (as well as UNC for Windows) are securely stored on the MOVEit server in an encrypted XML file using the FIPS 140-2 algorithm. They are not stored in the database, and their management is done through the Admin Web console. Private keys cannot be exported as plain text.

Is there a way to avoid the need for multiple downloads of logs from one machine, for example, when copying them to two different locations? 

MOVEit Automation does not directly copy files between the source and destination. Files pass through an intermediate server, where MOVEit is installed. This means that the source servers are not additionally burdened by multiple copying. MOVEit takes on the entire load to transfer files to multiple locations simultaneously (storage). Additionally, this saves bandwidth between source servers and MOVEit.

MOVEit also has a mechanism for keeping track of transferred files. This means that by selecting the appropriate flag in the task, transferred files will not be transferred again, and if, for some reason, part of the files are transferred correctly and part are not (e.g., due to lost network connection), MOVEit will only transfer the missing files in the next iteration.

What mechanisms limit the impact on the performance of the source server during file copying?

MOVEit Automation offers various mechanisms, such as disabling SSH compression, copying a file only once, file operations on MOVEit Automation excluding source servers, and limitations on the number of files, size, and timeout in tasks.

Is is possible to define a maximum transfer speed for files on a single server? For example, faster at night and slower during the day? 

MOVEit does not have file transfer speed control functionality. You can control the limit of the number and size of files per task and set a timeout for the task. When setting different limits at different times, you need to create two tasks with different calendars that do not overlap.

Does MOVEit support symlinks?

Yes, MOVEit Automation treats symlinks as normal directories, which facilitates the process of searching and copying files.

Is it possible to configure SSO for the Admin Web Console? 

Currently, MOVEit Automation does not support Single Sign-On (SSO) for the Admin Web console.

What does the limit of 100 simultaneous tasks in MOVEit Automation mean? 

The limit of 100 simultaneous tasks means that the system allows for the simultaneous execution of up to 100 tasks to ensure the stability of the solution.

What does the limit of 500 Pre-Configured Tasks in MOVEit Automation mean? 

The limit of 5000 Pre-Configured Tasks means that in one MOVEit Automation environment, you can configure up to 5000 file transfer tasks, which translates to flexibility and scalability of the solution.

Does MOVEit allow moving files to another location after the transfer is completed? 

The built-in "Rename" function allows changing the file path to another after the transfer is completed, similar to executing the "mv" command. However, the new path must exist because the "Rename" function does not automatically create it.

The "Rename" function moves the file to an existing path while allowing the original file name to be preserved or changed.

It is also possible to run any set of commands via SSH (provided that the remote server administrator has assigned appropriate permissions) after a successful transfer. MOVEit allows executing any command from the MOVEit server; however, it must be initiated from the MOVEit server.

On the Windows 2019 platform, there is a built-in OpenSSH client that can be installed through the "Feature" function. Then, MOVEit, using PowerShell, can execute the SSH command. In this option, it is important for the same private keys imported into MOVEit to also be located in a secure directory on the MOVEit server to successfully execute the SSH command.

Summary

That concludes our journey through the mysteries and capabilities of MOVEit Automation. We believe that our answers to these 15 key questions not only clarified your understanding of this advanced file transfer automation tool but also opened the doors to new possibilities in efficient data transfer management.

If you are interested in further exploring MOVEit Automation and want to learn more details about it, feel free to contact us.

Do you have any questions regarding MOVEit Automation? We look forward to hearing from you!