FLAM - Frankenstein Limes Access Method

The FLAM product family enables a uniform, fast, and secure platform-independent access to data. The components of FLAM allow easy integration of our access method (element-, byte- & record APIs) into existing processes and infrastructures. Efficiency and security are significantly enhanced by compression and encryption. Most unique is FLAM's feature for searching, positioning, and retrieving items within encrypted and compressed data without having to temporarily decrypt an entire file. These characteristics of "flambéed" data facilitate compliance with various security standards (such as PCIDSS) and provide for a secure implementation of central services (archive, mediators, headends, cloud).

Benefits

Maximum security and efficiency with data storage and transfer on a wide range of platforms (from mainframe through embedded system)
Secure implementation of clouds and othe outsourcing projects by separating encryption from data storage (access method has network capability)
Speeding up data transfer and processing by reduced data volumes
High-security storage of compressed and encryptes data including strict access control
Random access to and search for logical units (elements, bytes, records) in the data
Converting between different data formats and character sets, converting to different formats of various platforms (internationalization)
Professional management of the compressed and encrypted data (including compilation of search-result sets without revealing plain data (automatic anonymization))
Easy integration into applications and procedures in order to use the access method at little cost in complex solutions (archive with search function)
Saving time and costs through extremely low resource consumption (CPU, memory, disk storage)

Features

High-performance algorithms for lossless compression (FDC) and encryption (AES) of files, datastreams, and other objects (tables) that can be read and written
Support of several hardware accelerators like CPACF for encryption and hashing, ZEDC for compression or special hardware commands for character conversion.
Creating and restoring data in a freely adjustable data format and character code
Created data are compatible to all supported platforms
APIs for easy integration into any application and additional interfaces permitting extension by many user functions (I/O, key management, and many more)
Supports on each platform its native file organizations and record formats
Available on a wide spectrum of platforms: AIX, HP-UX, Solaris, Linux, z/OS, VSE, BS2000, Windows, ...
Only parts of a file (so-called segments) are decrypted and decompressed during an access operation, thus minimizig their memory life-span and limiting it to where actually needed (compliance with security standards)
Connects to any cryptographic infrastructure (KMIP, PGP, X509-PKI, SKI, …) with access control through key management including ad-hoc and periodic rekeying
Conversion, compression, encryption, and signature of data
Protection of privacy, integrity, and completeness of the data

FLAM applications

Compression and encryption for exchange across different platforms without knowing the couterpart's technical details
Audit-proof long-term archiving of bulk data enabling searches in compressed and encrypted data and retrieving specific elements (while result sets remain encrypted)
PCIDSS-compliant data storage (Data at Rest) and exchange (Data on Transit) of card-holder data in one step
Speeding up and encrypting during database unloads and other forms of backup
Integration as subsystem to protect logs (IMS), dumps, and other sensitive data transparent to application
Securing of clouds and other forms of outsourcing (headends, central archives, mediators)
Data exchange across platforms and across borders with character translation (internationalization)
Migrating bulk data between different IT worlds
Transforming various logical data formats (DTA, SWIFT, SEPA, EBICS) into a neutral binary compressed and encrypted format (FLAMFILE) which allows neutral access to individual logical data elements and from which data may be extracted back in any format needed independently of their original shape

for example, you may receive SEPA or EBICS data in an XML file and transparently continue feeding legacy DTA records to your old application

Integrated driver (FLAM subsystem) lets the data appear to the applications as the original files while in fact they are securely compressed and encrypted somewhere in the network (compressed and encrypted at the client, stored and managed by the server)

Our added value

More than 25 years of experience with cross-platform and cross-border data exchange
Our homeground have been mainframes, so we are offering professional solutions for bulk data processing
We support all current platforms and systems for migrating and long-term archiving
We stand for protection of your investment and for lasting reliability due to the uncompromising downwards compatibility and excellent customer support
Resilient, error-free, high-quality software meeting professional standards - guaranteed 'Made in Germany‘