Overview of NetCache FTP support

What is FTP?

FTP is a method for moving files across a wide variety of computers. FTP uses TCP to move data. FTP enables a user to provide credentials to an FTP server and then list folders and transfer files in either direction. FTP also enables the client to initiate file transfer between the client and the FTP server.

FTP methods that NetCache supports

NetCache supports FTP as follows:

FTP requests over HTTP

FTP over HTTP supports Web browsers that request FTP URLs on the HTTP proxy port. Transparent FTP supports all FTP clients transparently, including Web browsers.

For FTP over HTTP, users must set up the FTP proxy in their Web browsers to point to the NetCache appliance or to an automatic proxy configuration file.

Transparent proxying of FTP requests

For transparent proxying, users do not have to configure their Web browsers to access the NetCache appliance. As a result, users are unaware of the existence of a NetCache appliance; that is, the appliance is transparent.

To set up transparent FTP, you must do the following:

Configure the NetCache appliance for transparent FTP
Configure an L4 or L7 switch or a WCCP router to redirect port 21 (FTP) requests to a NetCache appliance.
Be sure that you set up the redirection for FTP requests on port 21 and not on any other ports. All FTP commands are supported.

For information about setting up transparent FTP, see the transparent proxying chapter in the Administration Guide.

Nontransparent proxying of FTP requests

For nontransparent proxying, users must set up the FTP proxy in their Web browsers to use the FTP client. Nontransparent FTP provides proxy support for commonly used nontransparent/nonencapsulated clients, such as WS_FTP and CuteFTP, as well as native FTP clients for UNIX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows and DOS.

For information about setting up nontransparent FTP, see the nontransparent FTP topics in the Appliance Manager online Help, as well as the software documentation for the FTP client that you are using.