Client Operation

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Client Operation

To use the MIE's Secure File Transfer capability, you must install the companion client application on a machine that has access to the file or files to be transferred as well as the internet.  The client application can be set up for delivery using the Workstation Data Assistant, or it can be downloaded and installed directly from the MIE by first going to the Secure File Transfer page, and clicking on the link at the top of the page.

The client installs as a tray application and displays in your system tray.  File transfers are performed in the background.  The first time the client is installed, it will pop up a window and require that you login to the MIE.  Use the credentials for the user ID to whom the secure file transfers (as entered through the MIE) have been assigned.  The client will store the credentials locally in an encrypted file, and will log itself in automatically in the future.  If the credentials change and the client can no longer log in, it will pop up a balloon message alerting you that it is unable to login.  Click on the icon in the tray to bring up the login screen, update the credentials, and click Login.  The client will automatically log itself in every hour (therefore, the credentials it has stored will be tested every hour).

The client works by contacting the MIE via secure communications.  It downloads the schedule of all files for transfer that match the user ID under which the client is logged in.  At the appointed time of transfer, the client locates the file via the computer on which it is running (the file may be on the computer, or on any share to which the computer has access) and transfers it to the MIE.

After file transfer is complete, an email will be sent from the client to the contact associated with the user ID under which the client is logged in.  The email will contain the results of the transfer.  Also, the client will pop up a balloon message, briefly, containing the results of the most recent file transfer attempt.

The client contacts the MIE every 10 minutes to check in.  You can monitor this activity from the MIE.  The MIE will show the machine name (on which the client is running), the version of the client, and the last time of check in.

The client contacts the MIE every 10 minutes to pick up its current schedule.  Therefore, it may take up to 10 minutes for a client to begin to honor any schedule changes.

The MIE maintains the file size and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code of each file that is successfully transferred.  When a file transfer schedule comes due, the client will request the last transfer information from the MIE, and compare that information to the current file it sees.  If the information matches (meaning the file has not changed since the last time it was successfully transferred) then no transfer will take place.  The email sent by the client will reflect that the file was not transferred since it had not changed since the last time it was transferred.