FileZilla vs. SolarWinds Serv-U

I use FileZilla to securely upload files that are not permitted to be sent via insecure methods like email or web forms. FileZilla is great to test the ability to "reach" the remote SFTP server and to verify my files arrived. Once I have tested that, then our internal IT group automates the uploads to these third parties, however I can always manually log into FIleZilla to verify the uploads.

Incentivized

I believe that SolarWinds Serv-U is well suited for small to medium businesses that do not require an expensive high-end FTP server. Also, once the server is configured the daily administration can be handled by less experienced IT personnel. In my opinion this product may not be the right solution a large enterprise with heavy FTP traffic.

• Easy to use - Some FTP servers bury their functionality in window after window of settings. Not FileZilla. You can get up and running in a few seconds.
• Drag and drop - FileZilla allows easy uploading and downloading via drag-and-drop.
• Edit in place - FileZilla allows users to edit a text file (or HTML, etc) in place and automatically upload the changes upon save. This is a great feature for making quick edits to a website!

Incentivized

• The Wizard allows us to create new user accounts very easily and quickly. We do not have a formal IT department so those of us "mere mortals" can use this easily.
• Using the Web Client has made it very simple to set up and instruct our customers on getting to the server from any device with a minimum of fuss. We have many customers with ESL, and school students including middle and high school. Most of them are not computer experts, just regular users so the simplicity allows to do the whole setup over the phone in minutes.
• The newer version of Serv-U does not appear to be very resource-hungry so our computer runs nice and fast, without having to be a top of the range powerbox. We concentrated on large storage to cope with the file sizes we receive daily.

• The editing and viewing feature in FileZilla is not as user-friendly as some other applications. Editing sometimes requires downloading a file and editing it, and then re-applying the file.
• Placing and saving encryption keys can sometimes be difficult for non-expert users. FileZilla-driven prompts to assist in this would be helpful.
• The cluttered interface sometimes seems non-navigable. There are many times too many windows and unclear where the actual "action" is occurring.

Incentivized

• The user interface on large screens becomes tiny and nearly unreadable without the aid of Windows Magnifier.
• Active Directory integration is either absent or not straightforward.
• Settings and configuration aren't always intuitive.

Excellent software that does what it's meant to do, without complication.

Incentivized

FileZilla is really easy to understand and makes it easy to log into servers to upload files. Moving files around is a breeze (even if it's a little tedious to wait for large quantities to move one by one) and editing html and css files directly is a feature it would be difficult for us to live without

Incentivized

I've always found the setup of FileZilla to be easy to use and setting up new sites has been quick. In working with FileZilla, I haven't had any issues. I rate it high because it's easy, quick, and free. I think anyone that is familiar with File Explorer can use FileZilla.

Incentivized

Support was the biggest hurdle for us. It definitely needs improvement, but not to the point of being a deal breaker.

Incentivized

Well, we sent an email to the organization 10 days ago and have yet to receive a response. The email had to be sent because their systems do not recognize the purchase yet when we made it we found the information they were using was false. Thus, we file a complaint with our payment processor and asked for our money to be refunded. That process generates several emails from the FileZilla organization asking that we reconsider as well as changing our rating of their services. We did do that AFTER they gave us the correct credentials to be able to download the product. However, when we did everything we were supposed to do to get registered with the User Community, we got several error messages stating that the purchase was not recognized as being valid and they had no record that we made a purchase thus deny entry into their User Community. We are at the current opinion that it is no longer the same organization it was years ago like they really don't care about the product. We've also been having, from time to time, transfer errors popping up within the Free product for which you have very old reviews.

The overall interface of SolarWinds Serv-U was better in my opinion than that of Cerberus. We had several outside users demo both and the SolarWinds desktop client was the selling point for them. Both had an option, but SolarWinds was more user friendly, which was a big plus. Everything else was pretty close between the two.

Incentivized

• It's simplistic user interface gives you all of the tools you need for FTP transfers.
• The software itself is very stable and hardly ever freezes or crashes.
• The updates made to it over the years have been great. The developers understand the simple mantra "if it isn't broke, don't fix it".

Incentivized

• Crucial for intercompany file transfers.
• Trustworthy system that comes up every time after server reboots without fail.
• Must keep paying yearly maintenance fees.