File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a client server model protocol to transfer files in a network, implemented on top of TCP. FTP works much like HTTP where FTP client makes specific requests to the FTP server thus not transparent to the client. Though the implementation of FTP is simpler than other protocol (like NFS), but it works a bit different way. The FTP client and Server treats control and data differently. At the connection, the FTP client connects to the standard port 21 and then agree upon to a different port to connect for the data to be transferred. The data connection can be initiated from either side depending on the implementation and network configuration. The primary use of FTP is for repository of the shared files to centrally manage them. Because of the simplicity, it allows easy access to the files across the network. A side note: DO NOT use FTP, use SFTP. FTP sends your password in plain text.
Network File System (NFS) is also a file sharing protocol which is implemented on top of RPC which typically runs on UDP. NFS is different from FTP in a sense that it does provide transparent access to the remote files resides in NFS server i.e. the NFS client access files (local and remote) in the same manner from the end user perspective. NFS server is a broadcast server that publishes itself within the network so any client connected to that network gets aware of it without explicitly looking for it. Another important distinction is that NFS doesn’t maintain the state of the connection so it is much more resilient to the network connection instability. NFS is used to centrally managed shared files (similar to FTP) without being duplicated across the network. As the NFS is transparent access, it is used to create a home directory for users in the network where that directory can be mounted to any machine, which would provide user the feeling that the home directory is connected to the local machine.
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