FTP versus Copy

[arbeetee]

I have 98 remote sites each having at least 2 xml files that needs to
be copied to a central site (all sites are part of a WAN). What is the
best option for copying these files to the central site? What are the
advantages / disadvantages of using FTP vs Copy command?

 

[David H. Lipman]

FTP is much easier over a WAN as it needs only a Internet connection, an account & password.

Dave



| I have 98 remote sites each having at least 2 xml files that needs to
| be copied to a central site (all sites are part of a WAN). What is the
| best option for copying these files to the central site? What are the
| advantages / disadvantages of using FTP vs Copy command?

 

[Greg Stigers]

Remember what copy was meant for: copying small, local files. But ftp is not
without its own issues, not the least of which is security. The password is
both stored and sent in plain text, neither of which is a good thing. I
would recommend WebDAV over ftp. But if you have the NT or 2000 Resource Kit
available, I recommend robocopy. It is meant to tolerate network delays, and
can retry a configurable number of times after a configurable delay.

And since this WAN is presumably "in-house", I very much recommend that you
benchmark compressing the file before sending. Compare time to send, versus
time to compress, send, and decompress. Even if you break even, you have
less worries that network issues are going to cause your copy operation to
fail.

Greg Stigers, MCSA
this space for rent

 

[Guest]

Robocopy is the man for this type of job
This article may help
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBB/tip0600/rh0609.htm

 

[David H. Lipman]

Robocopy ?

First you have to have MS Networking across the WAN.
Second Robocopy is for copying directory trees and keeping the files and the permission
intact.

I don't think Robocopy is indicated here.

Dave



| Robocopy is the man for this type of job.
| This article may help:
| http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBB/tip0600/rh0609.htm

 

[Dave]

-----Original Message-----
I have 98 remote sites each having at least 2 xml files that needs to
be copied to a central site (all sites are part of a WAN). What is the
best option for copying these files to the central site? What are the
advantages / disadvantages of using FTP vs Copy command?
.

The copy command gives you more options, primarialy from
the Dos prompt. You have more options as far as copying
date sensitive files. Meaning that if you want to
overwrite files having a cretain date you can do so. Also
you can control the transfer of files by their attributes
also. Check it out use xcopy /? to see all of the options.
then check out ftp /? and see its options also. You will
notice the difference.

 

[David H. Lipman]

Remember he said over a WAN. That means NetBIOS over IP over the Internet or encapsulated
in a VPN or IPTunnel.

In addition:
If you post to UseNet with your TRUE, not a munged, email address then you have invited the
Swen Internet worm [aka; W32/Gibe-F] to visit you.

The Swen is news spelled backwards. The reason it is called this is because the Swen worm
harvests email addresses from UseNet News Groups. It has an engine that allows it to post
itself to UseNet News Groups as well as it has its own email engine. From the list of
email addresses that it has harvested, it will then email itself to those addresses.

Dave



|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >I have 98 remote sites each having at least 2 xml files
| that needs to
| >be copied to a central site (all sites are part of a
| WAN). What is the
| >best option for copying these files to the central site?
| What are the
| >advantages / disadvantages of using FTP vs Copy command?
| >.
|
| The copy command gives you more options, primarialy from
| the Dos prompt. You have more options as far as copying
| date sensitive files. Meaning that if you want to
| overwrite files having a cretain date you can do so. Also
| you can control the transfer of files by their attributes
| also. Check it out use xcopy /? to see all of the options.
| then check out ftp /? and see its options also. You will
| notice the difference.