FTP Hosting Tutorials

Backing up Hard Drive Via FTP- There are a lots of ways to back up your data, applications, and system software these days. One of them is backing up your hard drive via FTP. This article will show you how you can use FTP to back up your hard drive.

What Is FTP?

FTP is a protocol for transferring files between computers or drives over a network. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. There are three versions in common use:

• FTP is an insecure protocol that sends passwords in the clear.

• FTPs (also called FTP over SSL) is the same protocol as FTP, but sent through Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), allowing encryption of both password and, if you choose, data. It’s not supported by all servers.

• SFTP is a completely different protocol from FTP and FTP, and it uses Secure SHell (SSH) for encryption. Like FTPs, you can encrypt both your password and your data, and also like FTPs, it is not supported by all servers. Unlike FTPs, it does better in situations with routers and firewalls.

Why Use FTP Backup?

With the price of hard drives way down, many people back up to an external hard drive. This is a good first step, but any kind of local catastrophe—fire or flood–could take out the backup along with the original. Also, if you do not have an automated system in place and your computer hard drive fails, you may find yourself restoring with last months or last years archive. Both of these problems can be addressed with software that provides automated FTP backup to a remote location, like a server that you’ve purchased space on. Backing up your hard drive via FTP on a regular basis that’s automated covers you in case of both local damage and hard drive failure.

FTP Backup Choices

There are several important choices to use if you decide to make FTP backups of your hard drive. The first is which client to use. This is an important decision for several reasons:

• Many FTP clients are OS-specific. This means they may work only on Mac, Linux, or Windows. Examples are: FTP Surfer and SmartFTP for Windows; FTPCube and Prozilla for Linux; and Fugu and Fetch for Mac.

However, FileZilla and CrossFTP are cross-platform FTP clients, and also work on BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) and Unix. CrossFTP also supports AmigaOS, which seems to have the fewest FTP clients made for it. Clients that support only one operating system are likely to be for Windows or Mac.

• FTP clients may be open source (and, often, if not always, free) or proprietary (and often need to be paid for). There are freeware FTP clients with both GPL and proprietary licenses (as well as a few other types), while software that must be purchased tends to have proprietary licenses.

• Some accommodate FTPs and SFTP as well as FTP, but there is not consistency, so check carefully for the protocols you want.

• Other protocols that may be supported include DAV and FXP.

• Some support compression and/or remote compression, while others do not.

• Some require use of a command-line interface, some work through the OS graphical user interface (GUI), others work as a browser extension, and some have multiple interface options.

• Licensed version may be available as a trial or demo copy.

• The oldest FTP clients date back to the early 1990s, while newer ones are being released every year.

• Some have multiple versions, with the ‘Pro’ version having more features.

• Automation may be available in various degrees.

FTP Backup Choices

FTP backup is best used in connection with local hard drive backup. You can set up various backups to occur hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly. For example, you might want to back up your documents folder more frequently than your entire hard drive depending on factors such as how much space you have for backup, how long it takes, and whether the act of backing up disrupts your work.

There are several important things to keep in mind when you set up FTP backup for your hard drive:

• Set-up a schedule for deletion, whether automatic or manual. You don’t want to discover that your backup system failed for lack of space.

• Check your system every once in awhile to make sure it’s really functioning as you wish.

• If you have a dramatic change in your workflow, make a mental note to reconsider your backup choices.

HostMonster

FatCow

GoDaddy