A New File Transfer Protocol
Shubhani Aggarwal, Krishan K. Sabnani, B. Gopinath · AT&T Technical Journal · 1985
We describe a new File Transfer Protocol (FTP) that provides a simple and efficient way of transferring files between heterogeneous systems, such as the UNIX™ operating system, Duplex Multi-Environment Real-Time (DMERT), and IBM/MVS. This FTP has been adopted as an AT&T standard. In this protocol, global functions requiring close coordination are separated from local functions. Functions that require global coordination are mandatory parts of the protocol and must be implemented uniformly. Local functions, such as file management and user interface, can be adjusted to local needs and might even be optional. This results in a flexible protocol that can be implemented at various levels of complexity. Thus, FTP implementations can range from very simple ones that provide basic file transfer service to highly complex ones that provide extensive security checking and allow a variety of file management services.