What’s New with Stonebranch Universal Data Mover Gateway (B2B MFT) in 2026

File transfer is no longer a standalone task. It’s a critical component of data pipelines, analytics workflows, and end-to-end business processes.

In 2026, Stonebranch continues to evolve managed file transfer (MFT) as a fully orchestrated capability within the Universal Automation Center (UAC). The latest updates to Universal Data Mover Gateway (UDMG) strengthen security, expand B2B data exchange capabilities, and enhance scalability across hybrid environments.

At its core, UDMG is a B2B managed file transfer solution that enables enterprises to securely exchange files/data with trading partners, vendors, and customers worldwide, while maintaining centralized control, auditability, and data traceability.

Key Update Takeaways

• Secure, enterprise-grade B2B managed file transfer integrated with orchestration
• New AS2 support for EDI exchanges
• Secure Proxy session break authentication and memory-only DMZ handling
• ICAP scanning for antivirus and DLP
• Active-active clustering for horizontal scale
• Enhanced SSO, RBAC, and partner access controls
• Redesigned web transfer client for a better partner experience
• Benefits of using UDMG for B2B MFT

Orchestrated B2B MFT: Beyond Simple File Movement

Traditional B2B MFT platforms focus on secure transport only. UDMG is built as part of Stonebranch UAC, where B2B exchange is integrated into orchestrated workflows. Transfers can trigger downstream processes, support SLAs, and operate as governed components of business services across hybrid IT environments.

Within UAC, file transfers can:

• Trigger downstream workflows automatically
• Start upon file arrival or API events
• Integrate into ETL and data pipeline processes
• Support SLA monitoring and real-time alerts
• Become governed components of larger business services

UDMG transforms file transfers into orchestrated, event-driven workflows that support end-to-end business processes. By unifying B2B MFT with orchestration workflows, organizations can eliminate silos, reduce manual intervention, and automate full processes once data is received or sent.   

What’s New in UDMG for 2026

Stonebranch UDMG is designed for secure external B2B exchange. This release goes even further to strengthen security, compliance, and scalability.

AS2 Support for Secure EDI Exchange

UDMG now supports bidirectional AS2 (applicability statement 2) transfers, enabling secure, standards-based B2B data exchange.

EDI (electronic data interchange) is the structured, system-to-system exchange of business documents such as purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, and payment confirmations. Instead of sending PDFs or emails, EDI allows organizations to automatically exchange these documents in standardized electronic formats.

AS2 is one of the most widely adopted protocols for transmitting EDI documents securely over the internet. With AS2 support, organizations can:

• Exchange EDI securely using a protocol designed for B2B communication.
• Use built-in receipting and non-repudiation via message disposition notifications (MDNs) that confirm delivery and provide proof of receipt.
• Encrypt data in transit and maintain detailed transfer logs to support governance, reporting, and operational visibility.
• Align with compliance requirements common across regulated industries such as financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing.

By bringing AS2 and EDI exchange directly into UDMG, organizations can centralize partner communication within UAC, eliminate standalone B2B gateways, and orchestrate EDI flows as part of larger, event-driven business workflows.

Secure Proxy 1.3 with Session Break

Partner-initiated transfers create a common security problem: enabling inbound exchange without exposing internal systems or staging sensitive data in the DMZ. 

UDMG Secure Proxy sits at the perimeter to protect internal infrastructure while supporting secure partner connectivity. Secure Proxy 1.3 adds several security-focused enhancements:

• Authenticate sessions at the proxy before traffic reaches UDMG (session break).
• Process transfers in memory in the DMZ, with no file storage on disk.  
• Protect certificate private keys with optional hardware security module (HSM) support.
• Rotate encryption keys and master keys to strengthen security.
• Stream files through ICAP-based antivirus and data loss prevention (DLP) tools during transfer.

Together, these enhancements strengthen a zero-trust perimeter approach.  

Inline File Scanning with ICAP (Antivirus and DLP)

In B2B file exchange, it’s not enough to move data securely; it must also be protected.  

With this release, ICAP protocol support helps ensure that what you’re receiving is safe and compliant before it enters internal systems or triggers downstream workflows.

• Via Secure Proxy, stream files through antivirus and/or DLP services during transfer, so threats can be blocked before files are deposited into UDMG.
• In UDMG, scan files at rest before processing them or routing them onward.  

This helps prevent infected files from entering your network and supports stronger governance for regulated environments.

Active-Active High Availability for Scale and Resilience

B2B exchanges often come with SLA expectations and unpredictable volume spikes, especially during batch windows, peak business cycles, or partner onboarding events. UDMG is built for these enterprise demands.

In addition to prior active-passive configurations, UDMG now supports active-active clustering for horizontal scaling, which helps you:

• Increase throughput by distributing workload across multiple active nodes.
• Improve resiliency by avoiding single-node bottlenecks.
• Support growth as partner ecosystems expand.

This is especially valuable for organizations running high-volume, always-on partner exchange services.

Domains for Business Unit Segmentation

As enterprises scale their MFT programs, governance can become a challenge. Different business units may need their own partner configurations, policies, admins, and separation of duties, even when they share the same platform.

The new Domains capability introduces a structured way to segregate configurations. Think of domains like namespaces that help you:

• Separate partner ecosystems by business unit, geography, or function.
• Reduce administrative complexity in large deployments.
• Support internal governance and delegated administration models.

Domains make it easier to manage one UDMG footprint without mixing policies or operational responsibilities.

Enhanced Access Control and Identity Integration

Partner exchange introduces a wide range of identities: partner accounts, internal administrators, security teams, and business users all need controlled access. That requires stronger authentication, authorization, and policy enforcement.

This release expands identity and access management across both UDMG and Secure Proxy:

• Support federated SSO using SAML and OIDC/OAuth2 for authentication and enable authorization by mapping attributes to roles and permissions.
• Automatically provision users using just-in-time provisioning.
• Maintain flexible identity options by integrating with LDAP or managing users manually.  
• Enforce operational security controls with IP allow and deny lists and enhanced rate limiting to protect service resources and simplify partner onboarding.

Together, these upgrades strengthen least-privilege access while reducing the effort required to manage users and partner connectivity.

Centralized Credential Management

In enterprise B2B environments, credential sprawl is a real operational risk. Certificates, keys, and tokens may be duplicated across multiple partner configurations, which increases the risk of misconfiguration and makes rotation trickier than it should be.

UDMG now supports centralized credential management, enabling teams to:

• Create credentials once (certificates, keys, tokens, and more).
• Reuse them consistently across the application.
• Simplify rotations and reduce administrative overhead.

This improves security posture and makes credential governance far more manageable at scale.

Reimagined Web Transfer Client for Secure, Partner-Friendly Interaction

Not every transfer is fully automated. Many organizations still need a secure, browser-based experience for ad hoc transfers, partner collaboration, and exception handling. This release introduces a redesigned web transfer client with a modern, intuitive user interface, including:

• A refreshed user experience aligned to partner usability needs.
• Expanded file interaction capabilities (depending on permissions).
• Secure ad-hoc file sharing through controlled links, governed centrally.

The result is a more partner-friendly way to exchange files securely, while still maintaining enterprise controls and auditing.

Key Benefits of UDMG for B2B MFT

As mentioned above, UDMG is a core component of Universal Automation Center (UAC). By unifying UAC, which Gartner categorizes as a service orchestration and automation platform, with a B2B MFT solution, enterprises gain the following benefits:  

• Automation-First Approach: Embed transfers into event-based workflows — no manual steps.
• Secure by Design: Exchange sensitive data without opening firewall ports or exposing the DMZ.​
• Observability: Trace every transfer with centralized auditability for compliance.​
• Flexible Deployment: Deploy on-prem, in the cloud, SaaS, or self-managed. ​
• Enterprise-Grade Control: Centrally manage partners and permissions with reusable templates.​
• Operational Confidence: Ensure high availability and resilient, self-healing data transfers.​
• Provide Self-Service MFT: Let business users and partners transfer files via an intuitive interface.​
• Anywhere to Anywhere: Move data securely across on-prem, cloud, and hybrid environments.​
• Tool Consolidation: Replace multiple tools with one modern platform to transfer data anywhere.​

Final Thoughts: The Future of File Transfer Is Orchestrated

Managed file transfer is most effective when it is secure, enterprise-grade, and orchestrated across hybrid environments with visibility, control, and scalability.  

With the 2026 UDMG release, Stonebranch continues to redefine B2B managed file transfer for modern hybrid IT. If you’re modernizing your partner exchange architecture or evaluating legacy MFT replacements, now is the time to explore what orchestrated MFT can deliver. Learn more about Orchestrated MFT, or go check out the UDMG product page.