What does FTP do?

[Ole Juul]

Yes, File Transfer Protocol, of course! It is one of my favourite protocols. I use it for all my file transfer needs, in both directions, between all computers, running different operating systems. I've even used it to connect to and from an MS-Windows system!

But what does it really do? The reason I ask is that many people are always looking for all kinds of programs and protocols to do what to me is the same thing - or at least closely related. Why complicate matters? Why not just type FTP and have access to the whole computer in question? To me what FTP does is mount the whole server's file system on the client, plain and simple. On my DOS machine I type "FTP linuxbox" and there it is - a whole linux file system accessible to my little ol' DOS machine. It works the other way too. In Linux I type "FTP dosmachine" and all those DOS drives and directories get mounted on my Linux box. That's what FTP does for me.

What does it do for other people? ... and what doesn't it do?

[Snowhog]

Re: What does FTP do?

... and what doesn't it do?

It doesn't allow you to run apps on the connect 'system.'

[toad]

Re: What does FTP do?

Hm, I only use it to download isos and poke around in my webserver.

[MoonRise]

Re: What does FTP do?

I use to shuttle files back and forth across long distance systems I use. Hmmm, that's it, just moving files.

[Detonate]

Re: What does FTP do?

My biggest use of ftp is to maintain my web sites.

[Telengard]

Re: What does FTP do?

Is there a way to make FTP do any of the following?

• configure the server to advertise its services on the network so potential clients need not know in advance of existence, thus allowing users to simply browse available servers from within their web browser or file manager
• automated mass backup from client to server
• automated synchronization of folder trees between client and server (not the same thing as backup!)
• provide a mountable filesystem with full access to the remote data, including executables, suitable for mount something somewhere
• be extensible by calling external programs to provide new services, like Apache modules

I can do all the above with Samba, except for the last item (extensions). FTP is great for what it is, but it is comparatively limited in its capabilities IMHO.

[toad]

Re: What does FTP do?

Telengard - I can only comment on two points:

# automated mass backup from client to server
should be easy with cron

# automated synchronization of folder trees between client and server (not the same thing as backup!)
ditto with rsync and chron

[MoonRise]

Re: What does FTP do?

My biggest use of ftp is to maintain my web sites.

Ah yes, forgot that one. Yes, I use it for that as well.

[kubicle]

Re: What does FTP do?

FTP is not a very secure way of transferring files (although this is usually not that big of a deal on wired local networks or when transferring files that are not sensitive and meant for the world to see, like files sent to a web server)

Of course one can secure an ftp transfer with Secure FTP (ftp over ssh) or FTPS (ssl/tls), but many people prefer other protocols, like SFTP (ssh file transfer protocol) when transferring sensitive data.

[MoonRise]

Re: What does FTP do?

I agree and actually one such area I do use FTP for file transfer actually is FTPS.

[Ole Juul]

Re: What does FTP do?

Is there a way to make FTP do any of the following?

• configure the server to advertise its services on the network so potential clients need not know in advance of existence, thus allowing users to simply browse available servers from within their web browser or file manager
• automated mass backup from client to server
• automated synchronization of folder trees between client and server (not the same thing as backup!)
• provide a mountable filesystem with full access to the remote data, including executables, suitable for mount something somewhere
• be extensible by calling external programs to provide new services, like Apache modules

I can do all the above with Samba, except for the last item (extensions). FTP is great for what it is, but it is comparatively limited in its capabilities IMHO.

I guess I should try Samba sometime. The OS limitation is an issue, but seeming complexity has always been a reason that I avoided it. I'm just not that smart.

Regarding a mountable file system I don't see any problems. One can traverse the whole file system with whatever rights one is given. Read and write is all I've needed, perhaps others have special needs which I don't know about.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by extensible. I can not execute programs remotely using FTP and have to use Telnet/SSH for that. If a program residing server side is wanted on the client machine then I install it there. To me that's a matter of methodology.

Regarding web pages. I too am a bit concerned about using a non secure connection for uploading pages, but sometimes do it anyway. My simple personal web page resides as a text file on my DOS computer. I edit it and type HOP at the command line and the page is instantly replaced on the server. I'd hate to loose that functionality.

Anyway, thank you everybody for your input. I tend to do my computing in a primitive way and thought I'd maybe learn something by posting this thread.

PS: sorry for my tardiness in returning. I had completely disappeared into BBS land for a couple of days and forgot about the regular web.

[Telengard]

Re: What does FTP do?

I'm just not that smart.

It isn't so complex, and if I can do it then surely anyone here should be able to. The tutorial Setting Up Samba in Community Ubuntu Documentation explains everything you need to get started and in simple enough terms.

Regarding a mountable file system I don't see any problems.

I do. To do anything useful over FTP you must first copy the files you want to work with to your computer. With a mountable filesystem you simply browse to the files you want and open them.