Introduction to FTP and Terminology, FTP Servers and Authentication, Line Mode FTP and Common Commands, GUL-based FTP Clients, Browser-based FTP Clients

FTP

File Transfer Protocol is the expanded is the expanded form of FTP. It is the simplest way to upload and download files over a network. When downloading a file, you are transferring the file to your computer form another computer over the Internet. You can use FTP to exchange files between computer accounts, to transfer files between an account and a desktop computer, or to access, to software archives on the Internet. An FTP address is similar to an HTTP or Website address except that it uses the Prefix instead

Usually, a computer with an FTP address is dedicated to receive an FTP connection. A computer that is set up to host Web pages is referred to as a Web server or Website. A computer that is dedicated to receiving an FTP connection is referred to as an FTP server or FTP site.

History or FTP

1971 ?First proposed file transfer mechanism

February, 1973- First ?official? FTP document which was a protocol for file transfer between hosts on the ARPANET. In this document, the primary function of FTP is defined as transferring files efficiently and reliably among hosts and allowing the convenient use of remote file storage capabilities. June, 0980- Specification of FTP
1985- Standard FTP

What is an FTP server?

An FTP server is a way of sharing files with other people on the Internet .you set up an FTP server and other people can download files you have on your hard disk. This provides you with an easy way of sharing files. An FTP server allows uploading which means? a user is sending files to your FTP server and downloading which means a user is transferring files form your FTP server.

Server offer features that are different form each other.

File Resume
- Allows the client to start downloading a file form
specific byte offset. This is important because it is the way many download acceleration engines work. Instead of relying on one connection for a single stream of data for the file, it opens up four connections. Each file stream downloads a specific quarter of the file form a specific byte offset to another specific byte offset. Other common uses for this feature on FTP server are to resume a broken transfer. If, for this some reason, a download crashes or breaks off at some point during the download, the client software is able to make use of this feature on the server in order to be able to resume and complete the file download.

OS Integration
- Some of the newer and more comprehensive server out there offers Operating System Integration- the ability to restrict access rights on the FTP server and its directories based on domain or local permissions. That way, an administrator can set up an account and the FTP server will use COM+ events to leam of the account creation and hence set up the user and its access rights in the FTP server's user access.