FTP protocol (File Transfer Protocol)

Introduction to FTP protocol

FTP protocol (File Transfer Protocol) is, as its name indicates a protocol for transferring
files.

The implementation of FTP dates from 1971 when a file transfer system (described
in RFC141) between MIT machines (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) was
developed. Many RFC have since made improvements to the basic protocol, but the
greatest innovations date from July 1973.

The FTP protocol is currently defined by RFC 959 (File Transfer Protocol (FTP) -
Specifications).

The role of FTP protocol

FTP protocol defines the way in which data must be transferred over a TCP/IPnetwork.
The aim of FTP protocol is to:

 allow file sharing between remote machines

 allow independence between client and server machine system files
 enable efficient data transfer

The FTP model

FTP protocol falls within a client-server model, i.e. one machine sends orders (the
client) and the other awaits requests to carry out actions (the server).

During an FTP connection, two transmission channels are open:

 A channel for commands (control channel)

 A channel for data
 So, both the client and server have two processes allowing these two types of
information to be managed:

 DTP (Data Transfer Process) is the process in charge of establishing the connection
and managing the data channel. The server side DTP is calledSERVER-DTP, the client
side DTP is called USER-DTP
 PI (Protocol Interpreter) interprets the protocol allowing the DTP to be controlled
using commands received over the control channel. It is different on the client and
the server:
 The SERVER-PI is responsible for listening to the commands coming from a
USER-PI over the control channel on a data port, establishing the connection for
the control channel, receiving FTP commands from the USER-PI over this,
responding to them and running the SERVER-DTP.
 The USER-PI is responsible for establishing the connection with the FTP server,
sending FTP commands, receiving responses from the SERVER-PI and controlling
the USER-DTP if needed.
When an FTP client is connected to a FTP server, the USER-PI initiates the connection to
the server according to the Telnet protocol. The client sends FTP commands to the
server, the server interprets them, runs its DTP, then sends a standard response. Once
the connection is established, the server-PI gives the port on which data will be sent to
the Client DTP. The client DTP then listens on the specified port for data coming from
the server.
It is important to note that since the control and data ports are separate channels, it is
possible to send commands from one machine and receive data on another. So, for
example it is possible to transfer data between FTP servers by passing through a client
to send control instructions and by transferring information between two server
processes connected on the right port.
 In this configuration, the protocol imposes that the control channels remain open
throughout the data transfer. So a server can stop a transmission if the control channel
is broken during transmission.

The FTP commands

All communication conducted on the control channel follows Telnet protocol

recommendations. So, the FTP commands are Telnet character strings (in NVT-ASCII
code) ending in the Telnet end of line code (i.e. the sequence <CR>+<LF>,Carriage
Return followed by the Line Feed character, noted <CRLF>).
If the FTP command has a parameter, this is separated from the command by a space
(<SP>).
FTP commands make it possible to specify:

 The port used

 The method of data transfer.
 Data structure
 The nature of the action to be conducted (Retrieve, List, Store, etc.)
There are three different types of FTP commands:
 Access control commands
 Transfer parameter commands
 FTP service commands
Access control commands

Command Description

Character string allowing the user to be identified. User

USER identification is necessary to establish communication over the
data channel.

Character string specifying the user's password. This command

PASS must immediately precede the USER command. It falls to the
client to hide the display of this command for security reasons.

Character string representing the user's account. The command

is generally not necessary. During the response accepting the
ACCT
password, if the response is 230 this stage is not necessary, if
the response is 332, it is.

Change Working Directory: this command enables the current

CWD directory to be changed. This command requires the directory's
access path to be fulfilled as an argument.

Change to Parent Directory: this command allows you to go

back to the parent directory. It was introduced to solve
CDUP
problems of naming the parent directory according to the
system (generally "..").

SMNT Structure Mount:

REIN Reinitialize:

Command enabling the current session to be terminated. The

QUIT server waits to finish the transfer in progress if the need arises,
then supplies a response before closing the connection.

Transfer parameter commands

Command Description

PORT Character string allowing the port number used to be specified.

Command making it possible to indicate to the DTP server to

PASV
stand by for a connection on a specific port chosen randomly
 from among the available ports. The response to this command
is the IP address of the machine and port.

This command enables the type of format in which the data will
TYPE
be sent to be specified.

Telnet character specifying the file structure (F for File, R

STRU
for Record, P forPage).

Telnet character specifying data transfer method (S for Stream, B

MODE
for Block, C for Compressed).

FTP service commands

Command Description

This command (RETRIEVE) asks the server DTP for a copy of the
RETR
file whose access path is given in the parameters.

This command (store) asks the server DTP to accept the data
sent over the data channel and store them in a file bearing the
STOR
name given in the parameters. If the file does not exist, the
server creates it, if not it overwrites it.

This command is identical to the previous one, only it asks the

STOU sever to create a file where the name is unique. The name of the
file is returned in the response.

Thanks to this command (append) the data sent is concatenated

APPE into the file bearing the name given in the parameter if it
already exists, if not, it is created.

This command (allocate) asks the server to plan a storage space

ALLO big enough to hold the file whose name is given in the
argument.

This command (restart) enables a transfer to be restarted from

where it stopped. To do so, the command sends the marker
REST representing the position in the file where the transfer had been
interrupted in the parameter. This command must immediately
follow a transfer command.

This command (rename from) enables a file to be renamed. In

RNFR the parameters it indicates the name of the file to be renamed
and must be immediately followed by the RNTO command.
 This command (rename to) enables a file to be renamed. In the
RNTO parameters it indicates the name of the file to be renamed and
must be immediately followed by the RNFR command.

This command (abort) tells the server DTP to abandon all

transfers associated with the previous command. If no data
ABOR
connection is open, the DTP sever does nothing, if not it closes
it. The control channel however remains open.

This command (delete) allows a file to be deleted, the name of

DELE which is given in the parameters. This command is irreversible,
confirmation can only be given at client level.

This command (remove directory) enables a directory to be

RMD deleted. The name of the directory to be deleted is indicated in
the parameters.

This command (make directory) causes a directory to be

MKD created. The name of the directory to be created is indicated in
the parameters.

This command (print working directory) makes it possible to

PWD
resend the complete current directory path.

This command allows the list of files and directories present in

the current directory to be resent. This is sent over the passive
LIST DTP. It is possible to place a directory name in the parameter of
this command, the server DTP will send the list of files in the
directory placed in the parameter.

This command (name list) enables the list of files and

NLST
directories present in the current directory to be sent.

This command (site parameters) causes the server to offer

SITE
specific services not defined in the FTP protocol.

This command (system) allows information on the remote server

SYST
to be sent.

This command (status) makes it possible to transmit the status

of the server, for example to know the progress of a current
STAT transfer. This command accepts an access path in the argument,
it then returns the same information as LIST but over the control
channel.
 This command gives all the commands understood by the
HELP
server. The information is returned on the control channel.

This command (no operations) is only used to obtain an OK

NOOP command from the server. It can only be used in order not to be
disconnected after an excessive period of inactivity.

The FTP responses

The FTP responses make it possible to ensure synchronization between the client and
FTP server. So, at each command sent by the client, the server will potentially carry out
an action and systematically send back a response.

The responses are made up of a 3 digit code indicating the way in which the command
sent by the client has been processed. However, since this 3 digit code is hard to read
for humans, it is accompanied by a text (Telnet character string separated from the
numeric code by a space).

The response codes are made up of 3 numbers the meanings of which are as follows:

 The first number indicates the status of the response (success or fail)
 The second number indicates what the response refers to.
 The third number gives a more specific meaning (relative to each second digit)
First number

Digit Meaning Description

The action requested is in progress, a second

Preliminary
1yz response must be obtained before sending a
positive response
second command

Positive fulfilment The action requested has been fulfilled, a new

2yz
response command can be sent

Intermediary The action request is temporarily suspended.

3yz
positive response Additional information is awaited from the client

Negative The action requested has not taken place because

4yz fulfilment the command has temporarily not been accepted.
response The client is requested to try again later

Permanent The action requested has not taken place because

5yz negative the command has not been accepted. The client is
response requested to formulate a different request
Second number

Digit Meaning Description

The action has a syntax error, or is a command

x0z Syntax
not understood by the server

This is a response sending back information

x1z Information
(for example a response to a STAT command)

x2z Connections The response relates to the data channel

Authentication and The response relates to the (USER/PASS) login

x3z
accounts or the request to change the account (CPT)

Not used by the FTP

x4z
protocol

x5z File system The response relates to the remote file system

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