Learning Resources
Lesson
An FTP server is a piece of software, running on a computer. It recognizes the FTP protocol to allow a remote FTP client to 'put' a file on the FTP server or 'get' a file from the FTP server. FTP servers can be configured to require a user id and password before the client can connect. Unless the feature is turned off, FTP servers recognize the name anonymous as a login. Like HTTP servers, security in FTP servers is dependant on the security of the operating system that they run on.
FTP servers are generally used as file repositories. Using an FTP client, people can get files from an FTP server and put files on the server.
FTP is a more direct process than web browsing. The FTP client shows you the folder and file structure on the FTP server. You have to manually look through the folders and files to find what you are looking for, and then transfer it to your local machine. FTP predates HTTP, and until the graphical web was created, FTP was strictly a command line operation using UNIX commands like ftp 134.153.11.5 to get to a site (that's a made up number). Once at the site commands like ls and cd let you list files and change directories. The command 'put' allowed you to send a file to the remote site and 'get' allowed you to retrieve a file. FTP can now be done inside a web browser and even inside Windows Explorer. Web servers recognize the ftp:// protocol in an address and direct the browser request to the FTP server, getting the response, and sending it back to the web browser.
Many dedicated FTP clients are available, with WS_FTP being a common one. TUCOWS, for example lists 17 FTP servers.
Many operating systems, including UNIX, Linux, and Windows NT derivatives (all versions of 2000 and XP) have FTP server software built in. A variety of FTP servers are available as shareware or for free.
FTP servers run on port 21.
Activity
Please complete all activities
- Investigate the availability and features of FTP servers and clients
- Create an entry in your course portfolio
- Publish the entry to your course portfolio web
Test Yourself
There is no self test for this lesson.