The first successful email attachment was sent on March 11, 1992, by Nathaniel Borenstein, the father of the file attachment. Though Borenstein’s creation was merely his fulfillment to one day email pictures of future grandchildren, the file attachment marked the beginning of what is now known as ad hoc file transfer—a commonly used method to transfer files.
What Is Ad Hoc File Transfer and Why Does It Matter?
Ad hoc file transfer is the manual transfer of electronic files from person to person via methods like email, instant messaging or file-sharing applications. While convenient, these standard methods often present challenges such as file size limitations, lack of visibility and inadequate data security.
Enterprises Need a More Robust Solution
To address these issues, enterprise ad hoc file transfer solutions have been developed as a type of managed file transfer (MFT), offering advanced features beyond traditional email attachments. With MFT-powered ad hoc file sharing, employees can securely send large or sensitive files via email plugins, web portals or enterprise applications, while IT maintains full control over encryption, access permissions, audit trails and compliance policies.
This approach bridges the gap between convenience and security, enabling businesses to facilitate seamless collaboration without compromising data protection. Rather than attaching files directly to emails, ad hoc file transfer solutions upload them to a secure server and provide recipients with download links. This MFT approach enhances security and ensures IT has full visibility and control over file-sharing activities both within and outside the organization.
Key enhancements of enterprise ad hoc file transfer include:
- Unlimited File Size: Overcome the restrictions of standard email systems, allowing the transfer of large files without hindrance.
- Comprehensive Auditing: Maintain detailed logs of all file transfer activities, ensuring accountability and compliance with organizational policies.
- Advanced Security: Implement encryption and secure protocols to protect sensitive data during transit and storage.
- Download Expiration: Set time limits on file availability to enhance security and manage storage efficiently.
- Notifications: Receive alerts for file downloads or access attempts, keeping all parties informed and enhancing tracking.
The chart below illustrates how enterprise ad hoc file transfer solutions compare to standard email and file-sharing applications:
| Ad Hoc Features | Enterprise Ad Hoc File Transfer | Standard Email / File Sharing Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited File Size |  |
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| Complete Audit Trail | |
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| Data Encryption | |
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| Antivirus Scanning | |
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| Document Access Control | |
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| Download Expiration | |
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| Alerts & Notifications | |
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| Microsoft Outlook Integration | |
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| Salesforce Integration | |
|
Managed File Transfer for the Enterprise
Ad hoc file transfer offers organizations a secure, user-friendly method for exchanging files without relying on traditional, cumbersome transfer processes. While the term ad hoc describes the spontaneous, user-initiated nature of these exchanges, at Thru we refer to this capability as secure file sharing—a term that better reflects the security, compliance and collaboration benefits that our solution provides.
Secure file sharing emphasizes what matters most to our customers: the ability to share files of any size quickly and easily, while maintaining full control, visibility and encryption. It also communicates the broader value of Thru’s platform—not just one-time file drops, but a governed, enterprise-grade solution built for secure business communications.
As organizations face increasing pressure to protect sensitive data and meet regulatory requirements, secure file sharing has become essential to modern business operations. Thru helps meet these demands with robust features that make secure collaboration effortless and compliant. Thru provides cloud-native secure file sharing as part of its MFT solutions, allowing employees to send files of any size directly from Thru and applications such as Salesforce and Outlook. As a versatile enterprise file transfer platform with a robust web services API, Thru seamlessly integrates into existing applications and workflows to support a wide range of file transfer use cases.
