[thelist] Seeking a Better FTP Client

Steve Cook steve.cook at evitbe.com
Thu Jul 19 08:42:09 CDT 2001


> 
> I asked them about changing the timeout and they responded:
> 
> > About the timeout, we can change it, but we are not going to.
> > By leaving FTP open for a long period of time, could allow possible
> > hackers to gain access to the system, which is something no 
> one wants.

They're right - nobody wants hackers in the system. Kind of a responsible
attitude wouldn't you agree? :-)

> 
> I have two questions:
> 
> 1 Is there an FTP client for Windows 2000 which could upload 
> a small file
> for me every minute to maintain my control connection?  It's rather
> disconcerting and a waste of time to have to reconnect every 
> 5 minutes.

Are you developing directly on the server? Why exactly do you have to
reconnect every 5 minutes? Wouldn't it be a good idea to get code right on
your development machine first and *then* upload it to the server?

> 
> 2 Can someone explain to me what this host's concern is 
> about?  All the
> other hosts with which I have worked accepted the NOOP and I can stay
> connected for hours at a time.
>

I have to admit that I don't know how much of a security concern it is
having open FTP sessions on the server all the time. What I do know is that
FTP is an unencrypted protocol - like telnet for instance - and that every
ISP I know that is worth it's salt uses similar methods to stop people
sitting connected all the time. That would suggest to me that there are
valid security concerns associated with it.

Another alternative ISPs can use is to use a secure form of FTP - similar to
replacing Telnet on Unix servers with SSH (a very good move IMHO). I have to
say though that I still would question why you feel the need to sit with an
ongoing FTP connection all the time. I develop actively on my various
websites and it's very rare I find I need to have an FTP connection sitting
waiting. The only times it really happens is where I'm trying to correct a
problem that's live on the site - but with well developed procedures for
testing on a development server first and then uploading only when the code
is stable that doesn't happen so often.

(Sorry, this is probably a pain in the ass answer, but perhaps it's time to
question a bad habit?)

.steve


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