SCV File Transfer (using SFTP or SCP) Help

Rather than reinvent the wheel, this page is primarily links to instructions others have written on File Transfer programs and instructions on using them for Unix, Windows and Macintosh systems.

The two main file transfer protocols are FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and SCP (Secure Copy) which is more secure. As of November 17, 2004, we are no longer supporting insecure FTP. Users must use either Secure FTP (sftp) or SCP. Both of these methods encrypt your password and are therefore much safer to use.

In both cases, you can run a client on either the machine you wish to bring (Pull) the files onto; or on the machine where the files currently exist to Push them onto another machine. If you are transferring files to or from a Windows or Macintosh PC, it will generally be easiest to run a client on your PC.

File Transfer Information Links

Using FTP at UMBC - Offers excellent information with examples on using FTP in a Unix/Linux command-line environment and in a graphical environment such as under Windows or on the Macintosh. Limited information and client download links for SCP.

Secure Shell and Secure Copy - Excellent instructions on using SCP in a Unix/Linux command-line environment and information on available SCP clients for Windows and Macintosh.

RSGIS Unix Pages ssh/scp/telnet/ftp Help - Detailed examples using FTP and SCP in a Unix/Linux command-line environment.

FTP (only) information at Boston University

Clients on various Operating Systems

Commands are ftp and scp and should already be installed.

ftp man page
scp man page

WS-FTP

Available in a commercial (but free 30 day trial) version.

WinSCP

From the WinSCP Homepage:

WinSCP is a freeware SCP client for Windows 95/98/2000/NT using SSH (Secure SHell). Its main purpose is safe copying files between local and remote computer. Beyond this basic function, WinSCP manages some other actions with files.

This is a nice GUI client which looks and acts just like an FTP client (WS_FTP LE, for example). You can use it to transfer files between your Windows machine and any Unix or Linux machine to which you can log in.

Homepage/Download site: http://winscp.sourceforge.net/eng/

PSFTP (PuTTY FTP Client)

PuTTY is a commonly used and freely available Telnet and SSH client for Windows and they also provide the PSFTP program for secure file transfer.

Homepage/Download site: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html

Macintosh Clients:

FTP

Fetch is a commercial FTP client which you can download a free 15-day trial copy of.

SCP

For Mac Os X: scp should already be installed.

For Mac Os 9.x: MacSFTP - free 15-day trial available.