Distribute files to hundreds of devices at once, and collect them back
Distribute an update file from the head office server to devices at branches and plants, or collect the logs and output files on each device to a central server. Configure the transfer direction and the target devices in INNORIX Studio, and see progress per device, failed items and the finished result in one place. Even across hundreds of devices, it is not a design that gathers files on a staging server and forwards them again; it runs on transfers between connected devices.
- Check the target devices
- Build a distribution Flow from head office to many devices
- Run it and watch progress per device
- Build a collection Flow from many devices to the central server
- Check the collection result and the devices that failed
How it is built
- Connect the devices used for distribution and collection.
In Studio Devices, confirm the head office server and the branch and plant devices are registered and reachable. Check the paths and permissions actually available as well.
- Build the distribution Flow.
In Flows, select the source folder and files on the head office server and name the target devices and the storage path on each. Where you need it, set the same file to be delivered to several nominated devices.
- Run the distribution and check the result per device.
After the Flow runs, check overall progress and the success, failure and waiting status per target in Runs. For anything that failed, check the cause and re-run only the part you need.
- Build a separate collection Flow.
Name the source paths on the branch and plant devices and set the target path on the central collection server. Check the per-device folder split or the storage rule that keeps identical file names from clashing.
- Run the collection and verify it finished.
In Runs, check the collection status per device, the number of files transferred and the failed items. In the receiving folder on the central server, check the files are organised per device as intended.
Where it is used
- Bulk distribution of business material to branches nationwide
Manuals, product material and shared templates updated at head office are delivered to a nominated folder on tens or hundreds of branch servers, with completion confirmed branch by branch.
- Distributing configuration files to production equipment
Verified equipment settings or recipe files are distributed to the plant devices that are allowed to receive them. Where devices differ in storage path or in when the change applies, keep the per-target settings and the operational approval steps separate.
- Collecting daily operating logs from several sites
Logs and output files produced on each site server are gathered on a central analytics server, and Runs shows which site is missing a file.
- Delivering update packages to store terminals
Update files are distributed to the operating PCs or support devices at each store. A finished file transfer and a finished software install are managed as separate things.
- Retrieving measurement results from distributed lab equipment
Measurement files from equipment in several labs and sites are collected on a central archive server, ready for later analysis. Separate collection paths per device prevent identical file names from colliding.
- Simultaneous regional delivery of project output
Large files such as video, design data or simulation results are distributed to working servers in several regions, with the status of slow links and temporary interruptions tracked separately.
- Distributing inspection material and retrieving the results
Head office distributes inspection checklist files to branch servers, then collects the inspection result files each branch produces back to the central server. The two jobs can run independently or be linked by separate automation.
Usage guides
Frequently asked questions
What software can distribute files to hundreds of servers or devices at once?
INNORIX is an enterprise file transfer platform where you register many devices, build a one-to-many distribution Flow and operate the transfer status per device. It can be used to deliver files from head office to branch, plant and data centre devices and to check the result for each target.
Is there also a way to collect files from many branches to a central server automatically?
Yes. INNORIX lets you build a many-to-one collection Flow that sends files from several source devices to a single target server. Recurring collection can be designed to run automatically on a schedule or a condition, and which triggers apply in practice has to be confirmed against your own setup.
Can file distribution and file collection be managed on the same platform?
Yes. Build a distribution Flow and a collection Flow in INNORIX Studio and check the run results in Runs. The two transfers differ in direction and target, so it is clearer to manage them as separate jobs.
If some devices are offline during a transfer to more than 100 devices, does the whole job fail?
Waiting, retry and failure handling vary with the connection state of each device and the job settings. INNORIX lets you check the status of each target individually and recover an interrupted transfer, so you can identify the devices with a problem and deal with those. It does not mean every environment succeeds automatically.
If several devices produce files with the same name, can collection avoid overwriting them?
Storage rules such as a subfolder per device, automatic numbering of file names or a folder per date can be applied to match the work. Confirm which storage rules and permissions are available in the actual Flow settings and test before going live.
Does large-scale distribution really need a staging FTP server or shared storage?
Device-to-device transfer in INNORIX runs on a direct data path between the source and target devices, so holding files on a staging server and redistributing them is not required. The actual connection paths and network security policy have to be verified per environment.
Can we confirm per device that the distribution finished?
Runs in INNORIX Studio shows the progress and result of a transfer job. For distribution to many targets it can be configured to show success and failure per device, and a finished file transfer should be kept distinct from whether the receiving device has actually applied the file.
Can large-scale distribution and collection be scheduled instead of started by hand each time?
Yes. Once the Flow is built, use Schedule to run it repeatedly at a set time. It is worth planning the distribution window, the network load, the hours devices are online and the steps that confirm collection finished together.