The title of Gwyn's session is "Manage Workload Across Generations of IT Infrastructure > Effectively Integrate Big Data/Cloud with your On-Premise Data Center". That's a mouthful, but it's a session you don't want to miss.

And to help ensure you don't miss it, we have free VIP passes for you. Simply visit http://www.stonebranch.com/cloudexpo/ and we'll hook you up.

See you in The Big Apple in June!

If you are a Stonebranch user, and interested in attending, please visit http://www.stonebranch.com/sugg2012/.

Please be aware that the presentations at SUGG12 will be in German, so if you struggle with that language you may want to wait until IE12 in Amsterdam.

The Opswise Managed File Transfer database is maintained automatically so there is no need for additional resources for database administration. This is a huge benefit compared to other solutions that require additional hardware and software driving TCO much higher.

2. What operating systems and hardware are supported?
Opswise Managed File Transfer was designed for the enterprise so we support all the major operating systems including legacy. You are a large enterprise organization, which is a perfect fit.

3. What protocols does Opswise Managed File Transfer support?
Opswise Managed File Transfer provides its own proprietary protocol over TCP/IP and can be implemented in such a way to support all other protocols for cross-domain transfers inside and outside the organization. Want to bring value to your organization? Consolidate the number of solutions you currently have down to one flexible solution and show an ROI within the first year.

4. What reporting is available out of the box?
Opswise Managed File Transfer provides the ability to dump or archive the database to various formats such as XML so 3rd party report writers can be utilized. Your specific business needs can be met with this kind of flexibility. You decide which information is of most value to you.

5. What if I need a custom report?
Opswise Managed File Transfer provides the ability to dump or archive the database to various formats such as XML so 3rd party report writers can be utilized. Your specific business needs can be met with this kind of flexibility. You decide which information is of most value to you.

6) How do I address ad-hoc file transfer in Opswise Managed File Transfer?
Opswise Managed File Transfer provides internal, cross-domain, and ad-hoc file transfer capabilities. Ad-hoc is handled via a web-based application, which is offered as software as a service or can be part of the internal on-site version. All provide central monitoring and management, policy enforcement and audit and logging capabilities.

7) Can you use your product for email attachments?
Often times there are file size limits and security concerns when using email as a method to exchange data. This is where Opswise Managed File Transfer fits in. By moving data with the web-based application Scribbos, data is moved within a secure manner regardless of size ensuring corporate requirements are met.

8) Does Opswise Managed File Transfer provide failover?
Yes. Opswise Managed File Transfer is designed for enterprise environments with fault tolerance in mind so that your business keeps running even through difficult times.

9) Can it handle large files? What is the file size limit?
There is no file size limit; in fact built in options help you ensure you meet your business needs when transferring very large amounts of data. You decide what is most important, time or resource utilization.

10) Do you provide central logging and management?
Yes. Real-time and history information is available to business stakeholders ensuring visibility throughout the organization.

11) How about alerts?
Yes, alerts are available from a central activity monitor and also as alert messages on the system so that automation can be built around the alert. This gives you proactive monitoring so business is not interrupted.

12) Can I define different access and functionality based on roles? For instance, my end user, my business partner, my technical support person?
Yes, each can be given access based on their needs. Your applications programmer does not need the same access as your business partner. You decide and customize the access as needed. This ensures data integrity and privacy throughout your organization.

13) Can I integrate with web-based processes?
Universal Command Agent for SOA expands the Universal Products workload management capabilities to include internet and message based workloads that are part of a System Oriented Architecture (SOA) environment. Internet and message based workloads, which execute in application server environments that utilize technologies, such as SOAP, HTTP, CGI, and JMS, are often left out of enterprise workload management solutions.

14) Will it be as fast as my current solution? or How does it compare to FTP in speed (or any other tool)?
Each network environment is different, however in our lab when comparing apples to apples, meaning both products with the same functionality, we compare favorably to the market and our often faster. The best way to find out is a proof of concept where a technician will come on site. With a proof of concept we not only show you technically what is possible but clearly define ROI and TCO to ensure value to your organization.

15) Can you automatically convert all my FTP's?
The conversion to Stonebranch's Opswise Managed File Transfer is not time consuming, risky or expensive. In fact, we can tell you up front how long the migration will take, how much it will cost and when you would expect to start receiving a return on your investment. Essentially, the analysis and migration tool from Stonebranch enables you to easily migrate to Opswise Managed File Transfer, our Intelligent File Transfer solution.

16) Do you support PGP?
Yes. We provide encryption internally and also allow incorporation of pre and post processing to include 3rd party encryption solutions. Ensuring your data is secure and correct and where it needs to be is our number one priority so that you continue to meet your business goals.

17) Does a file have to sit on a server in the DMZ or do you allow pass through?
We allow pass through which allows you to meet compliance requirements from internal and outside sources.

18) How many parallel file transfers can I run at the same time?
Opswise Managed File Transfer was built for enterprise organizations, which typically include very high-end processors running high capacity loads to low-end old processes with limited power. You decide based on your unique environment. Opswise Managed File Transfer was built with this in mind.

19) How much space do I need?
Space requirements are determined by platform and feature. The footprint will be as small as necessary to get you the value you need.

1. What makes you different than IBM, CA, or BMC who all offer scheduling agents?
In the past, these companies have been very successful at offering MVS scheduling systems. With the increased presence of distributed environments, they acquired server solutions and attempted to integrate them to provide an enterprise-wide solution. The result has proven to be inadequate for the customer yet very lucrative for the vendor raking in licensing and implementation costs. Most often, the integration is too complex to be of value and the duplication of software and hardware required increases cost. Opswise Universal Agent takes a different approach. We allow you to leverage and extend your preferred scheduling engine throughout the enterprise, controlling the execution of work no matter what the scheduler or operating system. Because of this, you only need to be competent in one native platform language, eliminating the cost and redundancy of siloed teams managing distributed systems.

2. How soon can I expect a return on my investment?
Our customers typically receive return on investment within 1 year of implementation, resulting in immediate value to your organization. This fast of a return is unheard of in traditional approaches. ROI is mostly affected by the ability to eliminate duplicate licensing costs and FTEʼs that manage the redundant solutions existing in your environment today.

3. I already have a scheduling system; why not use its agents?
Some primary issues with a legacy scheduler's agents are high cost, instability and unreliability. But, most importantly, once you implement these solutions, the vendor can now lock you into using only their solution because their solution is not independent. It cannot be used with any other vendor solution in the marketplace, limiting your ability to negotiate future contracts and to migrate from their product. We offer value no matter what scheduler you use now or in the future.

4. Conversions are risky. Why should I trust you with my environment?
Stonebranch has done 100ʼs of successful implementations without customer or production impact. Stonebranch's methodology and proven implementation tools mitigate risk and start delivering value upon inspection of your current environment. Typically we discover things that you weren't even aware of. We have a proven track record in implementation services and can offer whatever level of assistance required from advice to turnkey.

2. What operating systems and hardware are supported?
Opswise Universal Agent was designed for the enterprise so we support all of the major operating systems including legacy platforms.

3. What reporting capabilities are available out of the box?
Opswise Universal Agent provides a GUI to report on process activity, including attributes of the process such as success or failure, duration and security. Data can also be kept and archived for audit and history reporting.

4. What if I need a custom report?
We provide the ability to dump or archive the database to various formats such as XML so that 3rd party report writers can be utilized. Your specific business needs can be met with this kind of flexibility. You determine which information is most valuable to you.

5. Is Opswise Universal Agent highly available?
Yes. Opswise Universal Agent is designed for enterprise environments with fault tolerance in mind so that your business keeps running even through difficult circumstances.

6. Do you provide central logging and management?
Yes. Real-time and historical information is available to business stakeholders, ensuring visibility throughout the organization.

7. Can I define different access and functionality based on user roles? For instance, defining by end-user, business partner or technical support personnel?
Absolutely. Each user can be given access based on their needs. Your applications programmer does not need the same access as your business analyst. You decide and customize the access as needed. This ensures data integrity and privacy throughout your organization.

8. Can you automatically convert my existing remote processes?
 Stonebranch has done 100ʼs of successful implementations without customer or production impact. Stonebranch's methodology and proven implementation tools mitigate risk and start delivering value upon inspection of your current environment. Typically we discover things that you weren't even aware of. We have a proven track record in implementation services and can offer whatever level of assistance required from advice to turnkey.

9. How many parallel processes can I run at the same time?
Opswise Universal Agent was built for enterprise organizations, which typically operate very high-end processors running high-capacity loads to low-end mature processes with limited power. Opswise Universal Agent was built with this in mind. You decide based on your unique environment.

10. How much space do I need?
Space requirements are determined by platform and feature. The footprint will be as small as necessary to get you the value you need.

11. Does my staff have to be granted access to the remote servers with Opswise Universal Agent?
No, you decide on which system to leverage for central management avoiding the need for access to remote systems. The value in the solution is the ability to reuse technology, which lowers cost and reduces risk.

12. Do the end-users or programmers have to be granted access and be trained on the central management system to view activity?
No, visibility to stakeholders is provided through an easy to use GUI, eliminating the need for additional platform specific training.

13. Do I need to change my remote scripts to convert?
One of the major values in the Opswise Universal Agent solution is its ease of implementation, which in affect requires no script or program conversion.

14. My scheduler runs on the mainframe and the mainframe is going away, how does this affect the value of the solution?
Opswise Universal Agent is future proof. You can reuse technology on whatever platform you decide to leverage. You can leverage the mainframe while it still exists in your environment. Once it has been eliminated, you can leverage another platform without changing the independent scheduling agents on remote systems. This is a significant value of the solution.

15. Can you execute web-based processes?
Our SOA solution enables Opswise Universal Agent's workload automation capabilities to include Internet and message based workloads that are part of a System Oriented Architecture (SOA) environment. Internet and message based workloads, which execute in application server environments that utilize technologies, such as SOAP, HTTP, CGI, and JMS, are often left out of enterprise workload automation solutions. This provides true business process workload automation to your enterprise, adding value to the business, not just IT.