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File Transfer Protocol Essay

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Introduction
As the use of computers is on the rise, the understanding of networks and how they interact with computers becomes a necessity for its end users. One of the pieces that allow the interaction of computers and networks is the protocol. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a protocol is essentially a set of rules that define how computers communicate with other computers over a network (Merriam-Webster). There are many protocols that presently exist (e.g. HyperText Transfer Protocol, Internet Protocol), but one of the most useful protocols to users who have the desire of sharing files with one another may just be the File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. This paper is designed to explain the history behind the FTP, its …show more content…

Ports are used for communications within Internet Protocol (IP), so the use of a port number allows for the start of a connection between two remote computers (DeskShare). When the FTP server receives a connection request, the server assigns an appropriate port number for the command connection. The server also assigns a separate port number for the data connection. It then returns a “connection accepted” message back to the FTP client. This method is considered to be the passive way to establish an FTP connection, and is the most commonly preferred and supported connection type. An active connection occurs when the client opens a port and listens for the server to connect to it (DeskShare).
In order to secure a connection between the client and the server, the user running the FTP client usually needs to prove its identification by providing a username and a password to authenticate the client with the server hosting the FTP area. In many cases, the username is set to anonymous and paired with a dummy password like “password” or a blank password in order to make the directory structure assigned as the default location, which can also be referred to as the FTP area, accessible to a large number of users. When the host server has authenticated the user, the host server is able to provide its security and protection (Open-Site).

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