IBM Sterling and Z® Systems

Business data exchange has grown 50% annually for five years, with file transfers handling 55% of integrations. Large firms now manage thousands of transfer endpoints across their networks.

In high-performance, high-stakes operating environments, file transfers must be conducted with military-grade encryption and real-time integrity validation to prevent catastrophic data compromise secure, reliable, precision file transfer is vital for critical data - from check images to card transactions - ensuring 100% accurate delivery to core business systems without compromise.

IBM z Systems running z/OS is the most reliable large platform in the world. With most enterprises performing just 1-2 IPLs annually post-updates, these systems maintain exceptional stability while handling mixed-version software environments - outperforming alternatives like HP Nonstop.

IBM Sterling products form part of the B2B Data Transfer ecosystem and are leaders in the Data Exchange segment. z/OS is at the heart of the data transfer ecosystem of the IBM Sterling suite. The suite integrates z/OS with public and private clouds and with object stores. The IBM® Z platform is a solid base of large IT systems due to its reliability and scalability. z/OS is a critical component in many eco-systems: hosting mission-critical applications and delivering extreme performance in a highly secure manner

IBM STERLING

With Connect:Direct handling high-volume transfers, Control Center providing real-time tracking, and Sterling Secure Proxy enforcing encryption, this trio delivers 99.99% reliable, auditable, and secure data exchange across hybrid environments.

• Reliability. Engineered to complete transfers flawlessly despite network disruptions, the solutions meet strict financial industry SLAs where failure means six-figure penalties - turning data integrity into cost avoidance.
  
• Performance. These products optimize all allocated system resources to deliver maximum throughput with minimal overhead, ensuring no compute power or bandwidth goes underutilized during critical operations.
  
• Security. The products enforce military-grade protection through multi-layered security - strong authentication, end-to-end encryption, and overlapping safeguards - critical when a single breach can cost millions in damages and irreparable reputation harm.
  
• Visibility. The system delivers comprehensive monitoring with both detailed and summary views, triggering real-time alerts to operators the moment anomalies are detected, enabling immediate incident response.
  
• Governance. Through configurable policy engines, the platform actively applies and enforces diverse standards - from federal mandates to industry certifications and organizational rules - maintaining compliance at scale without operational friction.
  
• Centralization. The system enables complete configuration and maintenance from a single control point, allowing minimal IT staff to efficiently manage enterprise-wide data transfers with consistent oversight and control.
  
• Technology. The platform implements cutting-edge technologies and industry best practices for peak performance.

IBM Sterling Connect:Direct specializes in secure, high-volume point-to-point file transfers. As a core component of IBM Sterling Secure File Transfer (SFT), it delivers centralized automation for mission-critical data exchanges through scripting, scheduling, and real-time alerts.

CONNECT:DIRECT ON Z/OS

The IBM-JDU Consulting alliance expands IBM's solutions globally, enhancing digital transformation capabilities across platforms to meet evolving cognitive-era demands.

Connect:Direct on z/OS exemplifies the IBM-JDU Consulting partnership's strength, delivering enterprise-grade file transfer capabilities for mission-critical workloads.

• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS guarantees reliable file transfers for batch data, large media, and geographic synchronization, with automated scheduling, checkpoint restart, and recovery for assured delivery.
  
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS delivers high performance across all workloads, efficiently processing both massive file volumes and multi-GB individual transfers.
  
• With flawless secure operations since 1992, IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS combines FIPS-140-2 validated encryption with detailed logging to satisfy financial (SOX), healthcare (HIPAA), and payment (PCI) regulations.
  
• Through complete visibility and intelligent notifications, IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS removes human dependency from data transfers. This automation ensures uninterrupted business processes while freeing IT staff for higher-value tasks.
  
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS enables customers to Govern with Confidence through real-time monitoring of all distributed deployments. Its license management and expiration alerts ensure continuous compliance with regulatory requirements while strengthening overall governance.
  
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS delivers centralized management for distributed server environments, boosting productivity through unified monitoring and control. Its CD PLEX architecture enables single-console administration of all connected servers, with multi-platform flexibility tailored to business requirements.
  
• IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for z/OS employs the most advanced technologies, including state-of-the-art encryption suites and modern protocols to ensure maximum data protection.