On-prem FTP and SFTP servers have been a thing for decades, and some organizations are still using old servers that are well past their best-by date. But these servers are also often a critical piece of equipment that can't simply be thrown out. While you could continue to manually upgrade servers piece by piece until everything is replaced over time like the Ship of Theseus, there's a better way. You could migrate your server to the cloud instead.
Moving your SFTP server to the cloud offers a lot of benefits like scalability, no maintenance, and automatic patching. But how do you do it? Follow this guide to learn how to migrate your FTP/SFTP server to the cloud and move your organization to the modern era.
There are a lot of reasons to move your SFTP server to the cloud. One of the main reasons is that there is no server maintenance or management. It's literally out of sight, out of mind; any security patches and updates are applied automatically, and there's no need to worry about hardware going out of date.
Many cloud FTP servers scale automatically as well, pulling in more compute power as needed for heavy tasks. This also means you'll get higher transfer speeds that don't rely on hardware or local bandwidth limitations.
The one aspect you do lose out on is having total control. You can access an isolated on-prem SFTP server anytime, contain it away from networks, and interface with the hardware directly.
However, security controls of cloud servers are good enough for nearly every organization, and compounded with the cost and time savings, this means moving servers to the cloud is the better option in most cases.
For a more detailed look at the benefits, see 6 Benefits of moving your SFTP server to the cloud.
Not all cloud SFTP servers are equal. Many come with different features and benefits, and you'll need to make sure your choice meets your transfer requirements.
Historically, one of the more challenging parts of running an SFTP server was the initial setup and configuration. Preparing, updating, and managing configs is an annoyance that some cloud servers can remove entirely. Some solutions, like Couchdrop, can even set up a server instantly using the credentials you create at signup, taking what used to be a long, painful process into an effortless couple of steps you don't have to think about.
Any cloud FTP server will support FTP of course, but there are other transfer protocols that certain systems have to use in order to transfer files. For instance, AS2 is used for transferring EDI documents. FTPS (FTP over SSL) adds additional security to FTP transfers, but not all servers will support it.
Make sure that the cloud server you choose can transfer all the files that you need.
Most organizations have at least some data in the cloud nowadays, if not the majority of data. But getting data into or out of those platforms can be a challenge. Some cloud servers have integrations that connect directly to cloud storage platforms, meaning you can transfer to and from those platforms using SFTP.
If your goal is to get files into or out of cloud storage, make sure that your cloud server supports your platforms.
Manual file transfers are clunky, prone to errors, and a time sink. Automations can remove all of these annoyances, but only if they can do the actions you need. Having some automation capability is better than none, but the best option is to be able to completely automate secure file transfers. With the right automation features, you can remove the human aspect out of file transfers, making them something that happens automatically and always works as expected.
Granular user access controls help make sure the right people have access to the right files. User management options let you update access and add new users in one place, usually in seconds. Sometimes, you can even add users in bulk--which is great when you need to migrate a server with dozens or even hundreds of users. Being able to break users down by groups and types and update control at scale can greatly simplify user management.
Before you start your migration, you'll need to know what you're currently working with. Some parts can be migrated directly, while others will need to be remade in the cloud server.
Execute your migration with these steps:
With cloud-native SFTP services, many of these steps are automated, reducing the risk of errors and speeding up the migration process.
Before migrating any data, you'll want to get the new environment set up. Set up your new domain and account owner and look through the options. Cloud servers with a web interface tend to have several options that might be unfamiliar, including security features.
While on-prem servers give powerful control, cloud sftp servers are able to take advantage of modern security features such as Multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and SSO. These help protect against unwanted access and can also make a better experience for the user.
Depending on what kind of data you're dealing with, you may need to look for servers that meet compliance standards. Fortunately, even more intricate standards like SOC2 and HIPAA are able to be met by certain providers like Couchdrop.
When you're satisfied with your overall setup, it's time to move the existing users.
If your existing server has files you need, you'll need to migrate those files as well. Depending on how many files you have, there are a few different ways to handle this.
For large-scale migrations involving complex file architecture or terabytes worth of data, the easiest way is to use a data migration tool like Movebot. Movebot can move all of your data to your new storage platform, whether it's Google, Microsoft, Dropbox, or anywhere else.
Once your cloud FTP/SFTP server has been set up, you can then connect with a migration tool and move all your stored files to the new server.
When the storage is migrated successfully, the next step is to import SFTP users. If you can do this in bulk, move the users and all their credentials and update any user permissions and access levels.
You may be able to update user access through the interface as well. For instance, you might be able to set a root folder for a user, enabling them to access a specific area of your server. With SFTP servers that support cloud storage integrations, this means you can isolate a user to a specific directory in cloud storage, allowing them to send/receive files involving that folder without giving them storage access.
With your storage migrated and users imported into the cloud environment, it's time to check that everything works as expected. Have users sign in and connect. Run some trial transfers mimicking the real data you expect to move.
Take some time to explore your new cloud SFTP solution. Many platforms offer much more than basic secure file transfers. Couchdrop, for instance, lets you build robust no-code automation that can transfer, rename, and encrypt files. You can even schedule or monitor a specific folder so all transfers happen without you having to lift a finger, with your files moved and updated all at once.
When you're satisfied that everything is working as it should, you may need to train users how to connect with new methods, like using SSO to sign on. In some cases, training might not be required at all, because SFTP users can still access the same directories with the same credentials. Instead, the entire experience will simply be streamlined and more efficient.
Migrating from legacy FTP/SFTP servers to the cloud gives benefits in security, scalability, and ease of management. And with the right tools, you don't have to start from scratch--you can migrate your existing users and storage and be ready to go quickly.
If you're ready to move to a cloud SFTP server, make sure to give Couchdrop a try. Couchdrop can connect to over 20 storage platforms, as well as on-prem systems and other file servers. Get started in minutes with the easiest automated file transfer platform there is and make your secure file transfers quick, easy, and painless.
Want to see if Couchdrop is right for you? You can try it free for 14 days with no credit card required. Register now to get started.