OT- ftp question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rob Giordano \(Crash\)
  • Start date Start date
R

Rob Giordano \(Crash\)

Howdy...

Not exactly related to FP.

If I upload, via ftp a file to a ftp folder on my accountant's server
successfully, then forget to close my connection and walk away from my
machine the connection remains active forever. Shouldn't this close down -
shouldn't there be a time-out or something? It's not an anon. connect, I
have to log in.

tnx,
Rob
 
FTP is a connected protocol, and TCP connections will remain around until
one side or the other decides to disconnect. That is the way that TCP was
intended; Sometimes a connection must remain open regardless of whether data
passes through it frequently or not. TCP leaves that decision up to the
process using it. The FTP protocol does not include any sort of timeout;
that is handled by the Socket, which is not the FTP protocol, but is a
device used to make a network connection 9over which FTP messages are sent).
The Socket only includes a timeout for sending and receiving, not
inactivity, because it is a low-level device for various kinds of network
connections. So, unless some software on the server or client decides that
it is "tired of waiting" to hear back, it will sit there patiently, waiting
for orders.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
Professional Chicken Salad Alchemist

Big thicks are made up of lots of little thins.
 
Some FTP clients have a Keep-alive function which will send null commands
to the FTP server at regular intervals to keep the connection running. The
connection will never time out with such a function.
 
Ah got it.

So, what kind of risk is there with it staying opened? I always make sure to
remove my files as soon as they're done with them...but.
It there a better way to transfer files?

Thanks!



| FTP is a connected protocol, and TCP connections will remain around until
| one side or the other decides to disconnect. That is the way that TCP was
| intended; Sometimes a connection must remain open regardless of whether
data
| passes through it frequently or not. TCP leaves that decision up to the
| process using it. The FTP protocol does not include any sort of timeout;
| that is handled by the Socket, which is not the FTP protocol, but is a
| device used to make a network connection 9over which FTP messages are
sent).
| The Socket only includes a timeout for sending and receiving, not
| inactivity, because it is a low-level device for various kinds of network
| connections. So, unless some software on the server or client decides that
| it is "tired of waiting" to hear back, it will sit there patiently,
waiting
| for orders.
|
| --
| HTH,
|
| Kevin Spencer
| Microsoft MVP
| Professional Chicken Salad Alchemist
|
| Big thicks are made up of lots of little thins.
|
|
| | > Howdy...
| >
| > Not exactly related to FP.
| >
| > If I upload, via ftp a file to a ftp folder on my accountant's server
| > successfully, then forget to close my connection and walk away from my
| > machine the connection remains active forever. Shouldn't this close
down -
| > shouldn't there be a time-out or something? It's not an anon. connect, I
| > have to log in.
| >
| > tnx,
| > Rob
| >
| >
|
|
 
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