MFT Documentation

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Architecture ​

Understanding MFT's architecture will help you make the most of its capabilities.

System Components ​

CLI (mftctl) ​

The command-line interface provides direct access to MFT functionality:

bash
mftctl send ./file.txt recipient@example.com
mftctl receive
mftctl status

Server (mftd) ​

The background daemon handles:

  • Transfer queue management
  • Connection pooling
  • Retry logic
  • State persistence

Agent (mft-agent) ​

Rust-based agent for:

  • High-performance transfers
  • Protocol handling
  • Plugin execution

Plugin System ​

Extensible architecture supporting:

  • Authentication providers
  • Storage backends
  • Transfer protocols
  • Monitoring integrations

Transfer Flow ​

┌─────────┐     ┌─────────┐     ┌─────────┐     ┌─────────┐
│  Client │ ──▶ │  Server │ ──▶ │  Agent  │ ──▶ │ Recipient│
└─────────┘     └─────────┘     └─────────┘     └─────────┘
                    │                                │
                    ▼                                ▼
              ┌─────────┐                     ┌─────────┐
              │  Queue  │                     │  Agent  │
              └─────────┘                     └─────────┘

Data Flow ​

  1. Initiation: Client sends transfer request
  2. Queuing: Server queues the transfer
  3. Processing: Agent handles the actual transfer
  4. Monitoring: Progress updates sent to client
  5. Completion: Final status persisted

Security Model ​

Zero-Trust Architecture ​

  • mTLS authentication for all components
  • End-to-end encryption for transfers
  • Principle of least privilege
  • Comprehensive audit logging

Step CA Integration ​

MFT integrates with Step CA for certificate management:

bash
mftctl certificates issue --ca-url https://ca.example.com
mftctl certificates renew --auto

Next Steps ​