How UDP-based Technology Helps with Long Distance and Large File Transfers
“Relying on TCP-based file transfer protocols such as SFTP, HTTP, or FTPS on their own if you need to send files lightning-fast, from remote locations, or off-shore, can put you at a strategic disadvantage, as those protocols lack the acceleration and reliability of purpose-built UDP-based protocols,” said John Tkaczewski, Senior Solutions Architect, Fortra.
UDP-based solutions can send large file transfers over long distances in minutes instead of hours. These purpose-built accelerated file transfer solutions combine the speed of the UDP protocol with the reliability of TCP and can remove the guesswork of how long a file transfer will take, while minimizing file corruption on the way to its destination.
UDP and TCP Combined Deliver File Transfer Speed and Integrity
Combining speedy UDP-based technology with TCP, a protocol which delivers reliability and file integrity, helps organizations send files in more challenging environments. Fortra’s file transfer solutions offer a patented combination of protocols that can accelerate large file transfers, even across unstable networks or large distances. These solutions also protect transfers against network latency and packet loss by bypassing the need to acknowledge each piece of data sent.
Organizations operating on an enterprise or international basis, or those in industries such as broadcast, media, or live sports routinely sending very large or growing files, can benefit from the speed, integrity, and reliability of accelerated file transfer solutions that offer the combination of UDP and TCP-based technology to offset latency and packet loss.
This combination can be found in Fortra’s FileCatalyst, with its patented UDP-based technology. The solution gives each piece of data (the TCP window) a unique identifier, and multiple chunks of data can be sent simultaneously. The receiver can rebuild the file based on the unique ID of each chunk of data sent. The receiver does not need to acknowledge every chunk separately, and only needs to “talk back” to the sender if there is an error with one of the chunks during the transmission. The ability to continuously send data chunks is what helps FileCatalyst speed files for live broadcast.
Case Study: Editing Can Start Immediately with FileCatalyst
Factors Impacting Need for UDP-based Transfer Solutions
“When it comes to realizing the value of accelerated file transfer for sending files across long distances, UDP-based technology starts to prove itself when there is a minimum of 500 miles between the sender and the receiver, or where files are larger than 4 gigs," noted Tkaczewski. “Of course, results are also highly dependent on the total bandwidth available for the file transfer. We recommend a minimum of 100Mbps between the sender and the receiver, or a satellite connection for the best results.”
While a TCP acknowledgement is being processed, no data is traveling to the recipient. On slower links, the amount of data that can be sent during the acknowledgement is negligible. Tkaczewski explained, “Thats why on slow links, file transfer acceleration is not as useful. The only time when UDP is better on those slower links is on satellite connections, which are usually very slow (under 10 Mbps, and with 700-1000 ms latency.”
He added, “You can think of it as pumping water through a half-inch pipe in a hypothetical situation where you had to stop the pump every other second. The greater the diameter of the pipe, the more water you could be pumping while you wait. That 'stop' is the lost potential of the volume of water you could be pumping. With a half-inch pipe, this potential is negligible. With a 3-inch pipe, the volume of water not pumped is much greater and therefore you have much more to gain from file transfer acceleration technology."
Questions organizations should answer before deciding between traditional managed file transfer (MFT) or accelerated file transfer as their data exchange solution include:
- How far are files going to travel?
- How many files are being sent?
- How many gigabytes do those files contain?
- Can you install file transfer software or a browser plugin on both sides of the network?
- How secure are files in transit?
- Is there a regular need for file sharing over long distances?
If your organization transfers large files over long distances, uses satellite networks between sources such as ocean vessels or remote military establishments, or if you rely on wireless networks (5G or LTE) that can experience interference, or you are far from the router or tower, you can experience unstable network connections which will slow down your file transfers.
To ensure files sent with speed are also protected in transit, industry standard 256-bit AES encryption should be part of the equation when evaluating file transfer solutions.
Calculate UDP Transfer Speed
To calculate transfer speeds your organization may encounter, input your source and destination, along with file size and line speed into this file speed calculator.
Send Large Files Reliably Over Great Distances
Schedule a demo with a file transfer specialist to see how Fortra's file acceleration solutions can improve your transfer speed.
