As Easy as IM

Users define distribution groups, initiate transfers and monitor progress through an intuitive, cross-platform IM-style client interface, making transferring files as easy as sending an instant message. User-defined distribution groups make sending files to many recipients simple. Transfers can be targeted to individual recipients' computers or a facility's shared storage repository.

Individual or multiple files can be sent to pre-defined distribution lists in the client, while watch folders can be configured to monitor directories for incoming files (or entire sub-folders) to be transferred automatically. In addition to 'pushing' files and folders to target destinations, authorized folders on remote systems can be browsed, with selected files 'pulled' to the local client.

Jobs can be queued for immediate distribution, or scheduled for later transfer. Priorities can be set for each file shipment and modified on-the-fly during transfer to accommodate dynamically changing requirements. Users can monitor real-time statistics about queued, scheduled, in-progress and completed tasks directly from the client interface or through a web browser.

Transparent recovery enables transfers between C2 Engines to resume automatically from unexpected failures (such as network connectivity outages) or intentional interruptions. A user with a C2 Engine on a laptop could start a transfer in a hotel room, shut down the laptop to head to the airport, and reconnect in a Wi-Fi hotspot; C2 will pick up the transfer where it left off.

Comprehensive Management and Reporting

Two levels of web-based administration console provide a complete array of configuration and management tools. The C2 Server Manager enables centralized management of the overall C2 infrastructure. A comprehensive, web-based reporting and analytics dashboard provides administrators with a real-time view of the entire C2 deployment. All activities are logged in C2's internal database or external third-party database systems, with historical and trending data available for business intelligence. C2 Engine Manager consoles provide administration and monitoring tools for individual C2 Engines (nodes) in the ecosystem.

Advanced Architecture

The Digital Rapids C2 architecture is designed for flexible deployment, easy user operation, and exceptional efficiency. A C2 Engine acts as a location’s gateway to the outside world, forming an endpoint in the C2 transfer mesh. Multiple Clients (each of which could be an individual user, application or workstation) in the same location can connect to the C2 ecosystem through the same Engine.

Data transmission is performed between C2 Engines in the network mesh. Each Client (sender and/or receiver) connects only to their own Engine – never directly to each other – enabling extensive control and optimization of parallel transfers and network bandwidth. Automated dynamic rate throttling optimizes bandwidth usage on an ongoing basis to accommodate other traffic on the network and avoid saturation. A file being sent to multiple Clients sharing the same Engine is transferred only once (to the shared Engine) over the external network, then distributed to the Clients locally from that Engine – minimizing transfers over unpredictable and potentially costly external networks. C2 supports multiple distribution models, including satellite or IP multicast, IP unicast, and hybrid models.

A C2 management server oversees and administers the entire C2 architecture. C2 directory services store and organize information about C2 Clients and Engines, with availability of Engines discovered through 'presence'. The directory services eliminate the need for users to know specific networking details (IP address, firewall settings, etc.) of the delivery targets they wish to transfer to. The user simply chooses the target from a list, and C2 takes care of the rest, providing easy connectivity.

Administrators can create rules defining specific routes between Engines in the mesh, enabling manual route optimization based on business considerations such as varying costs of network transit. For example, rather than sending directly from a West Coast Engine to four East Coast Engines across a costly backbone, a file could be transferred to one East Coast Engine, and routed from there to the other three on less expensive links at a considerable cost savings. For each transfer job, users can choose one of these routes or let C2 route the shipment automatically.

Digital Rapids C2 Clients and Engines are cross-platform, allowing deployment across multiple operating systems and environments. Clients are available for Windows and Mac, while Engines are available for Windows, Mac and Linux. As with all Digital Rapids solutions, Web Services (SOAP) APIs are available for C2, enabling custom development and seamless integration into third-party systems, applications and clients.

Move and manage your large data transfers to multiple recipients with unparalleled ease, speed, reliability, flexibility and efficiency. Move and manage them with Digital Rapids C2.

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