What is Aspera FASP®? Explaining the FASP Protocol.

Quick Summary: IBM Aspera FASP (Fast, Adaptive, and Secure Protocol) is a proprietary transfer protocol that changes how we transfer data. It uses available bandwidth to reach speeds up to 1000 times faster than traditional FTP. Unlike TCP-based solutions that face packet loss and high latency, FASP maintains a steady transfer speed no matter the network conditions or distance. This fast and secure protocol includes built-in encryption and adaptive rate control to avoid network congestion. It also works well with existing infrastructure, making it the top choice for organizations that need reliable, high-speed file transfers across global network connections.

Aspera is the fastest high-speed file transferring system on the market for sending large files or large volumes of files around the world. The reason Aspera wins this title is that rather than using antiquated file-sharing technologies based on TCP, such as the decades-old FTP, Aspera leverages IBM’s patented FASP protocol to send your data around the world. FASP stands for Fast, Adaptive, and Secure Protocol. 

What is FASP and why does it make Aspera the best solution your organization can adopt for high-speed file transferring? Read on to learn more.

FASP 101

The first thing you need to know about FASP is that it’s extremely fast. Aspera’s FASP technology is so fast because it fully utilizes all available bandwidth to reliably transfer files around the globe on all continents except Antarctica. This differs from old file transfer technologies like FTP, which prioritize file transfers in a first in, first out order, thus creating bottlenecks as large files need to be sent internationally and to different continents. In fact, Aspera FASP enables organizations like yours to transfer up to 100TB of data per day, as well as transfer files up to 1000X faster than FTP.

Even though FASP is able to move so much data so quickly, it’s also a smart solution for high-speed file sharing that doesn’t negatively impact your business’s other important network needs. Its adaptive rate control ensures that everyone on your network can continue to do what they need to when they need to. With FASP, you can send large files or large volumes of data around the world without impacting other business-critical network traffic.

FASP vs. Traditional Transfer Protocols

Feature	IBM Aspera FASP	Traditional TCP/FTP
Transfer Speed	Up to 1000X faster	Limited by latency and packet loss
Bandwidth Utilization	Maximizes available bandwidth	Partial utilization, especially over distance
Impact of Latency	Unaffected by high latency	Severely degraded by latency
Packet Loss Handling	Maintains throughput despite packet loss	Transfer speed significantly reduced
Network Congestion	Adaptive rate control prevents congestion	Can contribute to network congestion
Encryption	Built-in encryption in flight and at rest	Requires separate security layer
Infrastructure Updates	Works with existing network connections	Often requires infrastructure changes
Protocol Type	UDP-based, proprietary transfer protocol	TCP-based, decades-old technology
Transfer Data Volume	Up to 100TB per day	Limited by bottlenecks
Workflow Integration	Native cloud platform integration	Manual configuration required

FASP is Natively Integrated with Leading Cloud Platforms

Today, many organizations like yours, store data in the cloud. IBM Aspera recognizes this, which is why FASP is natively integrated with leading cloud platforms,, including Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. This means that if your organization is using a popular cloud platform, Aspera will easily work with and be the fastest high-speed file transfer solution available for sending your data to the cloud.

FASP Encrypts Data to Make File Transfers and Streaming Safe

IBM takes protecting your organization’s data or content very seriously. For this reason, FASP automatically encrypts all data that is sent through Aspera in flight. FASP can also be configured to encrypt your data at rest. When you use IBM Aspera to send big data, you can rest assured that it’s as safe as can be. Leading global organizations recognize FASP’s security capabilities and trust the protocol to share highly-confidential data, including organizations in life sciences, legal eDiscovery, and the financial industries.

Aspera FASP Doesn’t Require Any Infrastructure or Global IP Network Updates

There are several reasons that organizations who choose Aspera love it. One of the key reasons is that with FASP, you can use your existing infrastructure and global IP networks. There’s absolutely no need for you to update these key components related to high-speed global file sharing, which makes Aspera easier to implement and a more cost-effective solution to alternatives.

FASP Includes Several Add-On Functionalities

One of the aspects that makes Aspera FASP such a versatile solution for a variety of industries and organizations is that several different functionalities are built on top of it. These include:

• File transferring functionalities.
• Collaboration functionalities.
• Automation functionalities.
• Content streaming functionalities.
• Synchronization functionalities.

Key Takeaways: Understanding IBM Aspera FASP

IBM Aspera FASP represents a fundamental breakthrough in secure data transfer technology. Here’s what you need to remember:

Speed and Performance

• FASP is a fast and secure protocol that delivers high-speed transfer capabilities up to 1000X faster than FTP
• Maximizes bandwidth utilization to achieve consistent throughput regardless of distance or network conditions
• Handles packet loss without sacrificing transfer speed, maintaining performance even on challenging network connections

Adaptive Intelligence

• Smart rate control prevents network congestion while enabling high-throughput data transfer
• Unaffected by high latency that cripples TCP-based transfer protocols
• Allows your workflow to continue uninterrupted while transferring massive datasets

Security Built-In

• Automatic encryption protects transfer data in flight
• Configurable encryption at rest ensures comprehensive security
• Trusted by highly regulated industries requiring secure data transfer

Easy Implementation

• No infrastructure updates or global IP network modifications required
• Native integration with leading cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Works seamlessly with your existing network connection architecture

Versatility

• Supports multiple functionalities: file transferring, collaboration, automation, streaming, and synchronization
• Proven to handle up to 100TB of data transfer per day
• IBM Aspera high-speed solutions built on the proprietary FASP transfer protocol

The IBM Aspera FASP protocol transforms the way organizations handle large-scale data transfer by eliminating the traditional trade-offs between transfer speed, security, and network performance. Whether you’re managing petabytes of media files, protecting sensitive financial data, or coordinating global workflows, FASP delivers the reliable, high-performance file transfer solution your organization needs.

Ask Us All Your Questions About FASP

If you have questions about FASP, our team of Aspera experts is here to answer them. As an IBM Gold Business Partner, we’re perfectly suited to answer all your questions about FASP, or Aspera in general, as well as help you evaluate the solution within your organization. To reach our team of business solution providers, call us today at (512) 766-8715.

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