File Transfers--Year of the Internet?

Will 1999 be the year that the Internet is finally recognized as a viable alternative for the transfer of larger graphic arts files? Keep dreaming—but, for certain, the Internet is gaining the attention and trust of commercial printers and prepress pros.

BY MARIE RANOIA ALONSO

The Internet offers critical mass and open compatibility and, at the end of the day, that's exactly what commercial printers are looking for in digital file delivery.

True or false?

More and more, the answer appears to be swinging to true, as the Internet gains both the recognition and investment dollars of leading digital file delivery providers—leading many commercial printers to rethink their opinions of the World Wide Web.

While the file transfer choice of most prepress operations may be a dedicated, managed network the likes of WAM!NET or Vio, or an array of ISDN or T-1 connections, the Internet is gaining a bit more respect in the graphic arts community.

Why? There are a few views.

For starters, file transfer facilitators such as WAM!NET contend that offering the Internet for transfer of smaller graphic arts files, as well as offering high-bandwidth network access for larger, deadline-critical files, is simply smart business. As far as WAM!NET is concerned, officials report that the addition of the Internet to its suite of connectivity solutions logically increases the overall functionality of WAM!NET.

Digital Art Exchange (DAX) notes one appeal of the Internet: Everyone is on it. As carriers and ISPs continue to pour enormous amounts of dollars into it, the Internet will eventually sport a backbone strong enough to handle large files and dynamic graphic arts applications.

Officials at Vio Worldwide, the joint venture company of British Telecom and Scitex, see the Internet as a connected community unsurpassed today in reach and opportunity, allowing communications in an open standards environment. The Vio service complements the Internet by providing a faster, more secure and fully tracked service specifically for the graphic arts industry.

"The Internet is an excellent communications model, and we see it as complementing the Vio service," states Miranda Tivey, Vio Worldwide marketing director. "Vio took the best aspects of the Internet model—TCP/IP standard protocols, a familiar 'net browser interface, central server structure, and store-and-retrieve approach to file transfer—and built on them to create the Vio service."

Hermstedt, with the recent release of its new iMac ISDN Internet connector joining its Grand Central Pro effort, which facilitates a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) over an IP connection, sports the opinion that the Internet is a key component of modern file transfer, especially when linked in an environment with the proven strength of ISDN connectivity.

Recently, Jórg Hermstedt, the German-born founder and chairman of Hermstedt, told Printing Impressions that the continued acceptance and utilization of the Internet is actually good for ISDN technology. "There is a need for different kinds of services, different kinds of vehicles, to deliver a product—whether it be the Internet or ISDN—in the world of digital assets," he states.

"The entire digital file delivery marketplace is getting very interesting right now; continued utilization of the Internet is no exception," Hermstedt continues. "FTP support is a key component of modern file transfer, and we can now offer all users this critical component over and above ISDN transfer."

Patrick White, founder of DAX, is a major proponent of the Internet. Late last year, DAX expanded its DAX Transport product line to include the DAX iSERIES, representing Internet-based solutions that provide enterprise class, scalable connectivity for file transfer, remote proofing, Web hosting and e-mail workflows.

The DAX iSERIES includes the DAX Transport 800i, the 200i and the 200Fi. DAX Transport 800i is designed for high-traffic Internet sites, as well as e-mail and large file delivery via FTP. It uses dedicated or fractional T-1 lines and can be upgraded to support direct ISDN, multi-BRI and PRI, or additional dedicated circuits.

"The Internet is the most viable, most available and most logical venue for prepress file transfer—period," says DAX's White. "Regardless of who the players are in file delivery today, everyone out there can use one very simple file transfer tool. The clear winner right now is FTP; it's free, clients can access it with little effort and it's reliable."

A Clear Winner
As usual, White makes sense. On the Internet, files can be transferred using e-mail or FTP, which is the standard that allows files and programs to be moved from one computer to another over the World Wide Web. Today, there exists a multitude of inexpensive software options for FTP, making the Internet an attractive file transfer option for many digitally savvy prepress operations.

In the (perhaps not too distant) future, intelligent software options attacking the Internet's obvious security threats and speed bumps may transform the World Wide Web into a more widely conducive connectivity option for multiple file transfer applications.

As for today, ISDN may still be the most secure, point-to-point connection for a host of small- to mid-size commercial printing sites. Burke McCarthy, president of Hermstedt U.S., is encouraged by the Internet's promise, but expects ISDN sales to remain strong, especially in light of decreasing prices in today's ISDN market.

"Compared to the Internet today, ISDN offers greater security, convenience and assurance to professional users who require predictable turnaround time and costs from their digital file delivery vehicle," McCarthy reports. "I can't envision, at this point, that the Internet will ever be able to effectively handle the high volume traffic, in both directions from one point to another that ISDN can today cover on an affordable, global basis."

For now, keep a close eye on all the latest tools for Internet connectivity—and the companies bringing those tools to market—as 1999 plays out and the Internet gains some more ground in the digital connectivity arena.

Case in point: WAM!NET.

"Our commitment to marrying WAM!NET with the Internet will blend WAM!NET's reliability with the Internet's ubiquity," reports Ed Driscoll, CEO and president of the digital file delivery giant—also branching out into digital asset retention avenues with its WAM!BASE effort.

"We believe the decision isn't between WAM!NET and the Internet, or between public or private, reliable or ubiquitous networks," he continues. "Customers want the best of both worlds for less money and less hassle than maintaining multiple, standalone networking solutions, which is precisely why you will see WAM!NET introducing several Internet-based products in the coming months."

What is the end goal?

"To provide a one-pipe solution that allows customers to choose the path that gives them the best performance at the best price for each networking event," Driscoll contends. WAM!NET's 1998 track record illustrates Driscoll's Internet points.

* WAM!NET purchased 4-Sight and integrated 4-Sight's ISDN dial-up into WAM!NET's product mix.

* WAM!NET announced its plan to marry the Internet into WAM!NET's product mix. Since then, WAM!NET has teamed up with several major customers to pilot its Internet products, provide performance feedback and deliver proof of concept.

"We are currently finalizing rollout plans to deliver those products to market," Driscoll reports. "With the introduction of our Internet product line, WAM!NET will provide a full spectrum of connectivity options that address virtually 100 percent of the market: our NAD-based service for networked point-to-point performance, high-speed ISDN dial-up, and ubiquitous Internet connectivity."

Delivering the Goods
So, the trick is to be all things to all people—all of the time?

"Bottom line: Digital connectivity is not a one-size-fits-all proposition," Driscoll emphasizes. "Anyone promoting a single type of technology or touting one pipe over another is totally missing the point."

Moral of the story?

The big winner in the connectivity race will not be a technological solution, according to WAM!NET's Driscoll, who confidently promises: "The big winner will be a solution that translates all this technology into a simple, affordable service that connects everyone in the industry—enabling all to collaborate at a competitive price and performance level."

Internet Forecast: A "White House" View

In 1999, graphic arts professionals will witness a range of exciting new developments related to the Internet and printing. Patrick White, founder of DAX and a major proponent of the Internet, shared the following predictions for file transfer and the Internet with Printing Impressions.

* Backbone capacity will continue to explode. Major players such as MCI WorldCom, Quest, AT&T and others will continue to invest in Internet backbone capacity. The result? Improved transfer rates for all types of data, from e-mails to large graphic arts files.

* Fast Internet access will become affordable for smaller companies. DSL, ISDN and, to some degree, cable modems will continue to be deployed—allowing many smaller printers to afford faster digital connections to the Internet. Printers will be able to send and receive larger files in smaller time frames, while having the benefit of a dual-use system that can handle e-mail, Web browsing, Web hosting and other core Internet services, in addition to digital courier capabilities.

* T-1 will continue to be the dominant form of Internet access for larger shops. Limitations regarding DSL (distance to phone company central office, limited number of IP addresses per site) will make it a good choice for some small- to mid-size printers, but not realistic for the largest shops. These firms will continue to rely on powerful T-1 connections to the Internet.

* T-1 local loop access pricing will continue to drop. As phone companies see competition from "alternative access providers," as well as from new forms of Internet access, they will keep dropping prices to keep T-1 services affordable. This is good news for all the medium- to large-size shops that need the fastest access possible.

* Workflow solutions will develop based on Internet collaboration. Look for hot, new tools by mid-year that will change the dynamic away from point-to-point transfers and toward multi-point, intelligent collaboration solutions. Think of it as a simplified version of asset management systems, residing in the Internet, focused on helping teams share files with each other and manage the complexities of live printing projects.

* Printers will need suppliers that have strong industry knowledge coupled with complete, turn-key solutions. A printing operation's Internet system will need to interact with its production workflow, digital courier requirements, asset management server solutions and core Internet requirements such as e-mail, browsing, and FTP and Website hosting servers.

Tracking the Vio Velocity. . .

Vio's Miranda Tivey on Building the Internet Model

Vio Worldwide, a joint venture company of British Telecom and Scitex, offers a new approach to graphic arts networking that is based on the best connectivity model around: the Internet.

Miranda Tivey, worldwide marketing director for Vio, tells Printing Impressions the Vio tale—the story of a centrally managed network server model to which all users have rapid and secure access, and how the Internet fits into the big picture.

"Launched last October, the Vio service builds on the Internet's standard TCP-IP communications protocols, familiar 'net browser interface, central server model, store-and-retrieve approach to file transfer and 'connected community' concept.

"Vio improves on the concepts by providing a digital production network for the world's graphic arts community that offers a high level of data security and sophisticated, yet practical, software tools to enhance workflow productivity. The Vio service embraces the best the Internet has to offer in flexibility, ease of use and innovation, and adds high-speed connectivity, file security and network management so that users can collaborate efficiently."

How does Vio operate?

"It is the Unique Central Server Concept to transfer huge quantities of data quickly. Vio offers a range of access speeds to suit the needs of different workflows. Vio also offers a choice of access methods—a dedicated, managed connection provided by Vio (the Vio Digital Graphics Network, or DGN) and also ISDN dial-up. With ISDN access, customers are never more than a local call away from Vio—ensuring compatibility on an international scale."

The key to Vio? "Simply put, its use of a centrally managed network server model to which all users have rapid and secure access. The central server model separates the file transfer process into storage and retrieval, allowing sent files to be tracked and stored on the network in the 'in-boxes' of intended recipients until they are ready to retrieve them. It also avoids the installation of expensive computer hardware at user sites and enables Vio to provide easy access to a variety of services—from an on-line subscriber directory to on-line service updates.

"By combining the store-and-retrieve approach to file transfer with on-line job ticketing and comprehensive job tracking capabilities, Vio provides total workflow control to both sender and receiver. It also provides graphic arts production applications—automatic file retrieval, remote proofing with ICC profiles—that optimize the flow of digital files between workflow partners."