While FTP is a very popular storage service, it doesn’t guarantee top-notch security. This prevents companies from effectively tackling any security risks that are so widespread on the web nowadays and can potentially cause data breaches. Instead, there’s an advanced version of FTP called SFTP with SSH protocol embedded for safe data exchange with Salesforce or other cloud apps. The Salesforce SFTP integration offers advanced security features and standards, which takes the data transfer to the next level.
This article explores the benefits of connecting Salesforce with SFTP in different circumstances. Also, its main aim is to provide a list of various methods for data exchange between the CRM and a storage service.
Principal Ways to Integrate Salesforce with SFTP
Whether you aim to connect Salesforce to SFTP for backup and restore or data migration from legacy systems, you need to set up the data flow first. So, here, you’ll find the most popular and efficient methods for connecting Salesforce to the SFTP server.
Salesforce Connect
Salesforce provides a native service that allows users to create external data sources. It also can create external objects associated with the external files stored on the SFTP server.
Using Salesforce Connects means that you can query and manipulate SFTP data right inside the Salesforce application. It’s possible to do that by using standard Salesforce APIs and other relevant tools.
Apex Code
This method implies the development of customer Apex code within Salesforce for interacting with the SFTP server. Use libraries like Apache Commons VFS (Virtual File System) or build custom HTTP-based file transfer solutions using the HttpRequest and HttpResponse classes.
RESTful APIs
To connect Salesforce to SFTP via API, follow a multi-step process involving authentication, data transfer, and error handling:
- Use Salesforce APIs (REST or SOAP) to authenticate and obtain an access token for subsequent API requests.
- Authenticate to the SFTP server using the username/password or SSH keys.
- Use Salesforce APIs to retrieve the desired data from Salesforce.
- Utilize SFTP client libraries or APIs to establish a connection to the SFTP server and upload the formatted data files.
- Encrypt sensitive data during transit between Salesforce and the SFTP server to protect it from unauthorized access or interception.
- Implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to track the performance and health of the integration over time.
Third-Party Data Integration Tools
There are data integration tools designed for data exchange between different on-premises and cloud services. Matillion, Jitterbit, Talend, and Skyvia are among the most popular and widely used solutions for that.
Such tools have pre-built connectors for Salesforce and SFTP, data transformation rules, data mapping, etc. All the configurations for data flow design are usually done with no coding.
Integration Scenarios with Skyvia
Skyvia is a universal cloud data platform designed for a wide range of data-related tasks. it perfectly suits the SFTP Salesforce data integration case because it already has pre-built connectors for each service. Skyvia allows multiple data integration scenarios allowing users to transfer from Salesforce to SFTP or vice versa. Also, this platform makes data integration pipeline design really user-friendly due to the drag-and-drop interface.
Data Import
Skyvia has a dedicated tool for exchanging data between applications, databases, and data warehouses. It’s convenient for transferring data from the SFTP server to Salesforce in multiple use cases. Skyvia offers advanced data transformations and mapping settings, granting the possibility to match the data structures in different systems.
Skyvia allows to set up the regular data imports from SFTP to Salesforce on schedule. Moreover, there’s a masking feature that enables automatic data transfer from a file that corresponds to the indicated mask. This could be particularly useful if you have external vendors or partners that regularly update files SFTP corresponding to a certain structure that needs to be imported into Salesforce.
Data Export
This tool is a perfect solution for the backup and distribution of Salesforce data across SFTP servers. The Export tool extracts data from Salesforce and saves it in the CSV format on the SFTP server.
Benefits of Salesforce Integration with SFTP
Integrating Salesforce with SFTP brings obviously many benefits to businesses. If you’re already performing data exchange between the two services, then you might have been already acquainted with some of the benefits of this process.
If you haven’t tried this integration yet, take a look at the advantages it offers and decide how it could be beneficial for your business.
- Secure data transfer. SFTP provides a secure method for transferring data to and from Salesforce and external systems. That way, sensitive data, such as customer information or financial records, is transmitted securely, protecting it from unauthorized access or interception.
- Improved collaboration. Salesforce SFTP integration enables seamless collaboration between internal employees and partners. In this case, SFTP appears as a centralized platform for sharing files and documents between Salesforce account users and external stakeholders. This enhances productivity and teamwork by optimizing various business-related activities.
- Backup. Storing Salesforce data backups on an SFTP server provides an additional backup layer for a company. Even if there’s a human error or accidental data deletion, the data can easily be restored from SFTP backups. This approach minimizes downtime and data loss.
- Scalability and flexibility. SFTP provides scalability and flexibility to respond to growing data volumes and evolving business needs. Organizations can scale their operations and adapt to changing requirements.
Summary
In contrast to FTP, the SFTP protocol provides enhanced security that corresponds to the contemporary standards for data transfer on the web. Embedded SSH protocol grants secure channels for data exchange between Salesforce and SFTP. However, most of the methods to establish connections and set up data integration aren’t easy to implement.
Salesforce Connect, Apex code, and RESTful APIs require custom coding to configure every detail of the SFTP and Salesforce integration. This task requires extensive knowledge of both systems, APIs, coding, and general technical expertise. Meanwhile, third-party data integration tools like Skyvia offer a no-coding interface for setting up the data pipelines. It has a range of data integration tools designed for realizing multiple use cases of the SFTP Salesforce integration.
