What is an FTP host?

An FTP host is a cloud service that allows you to store files online. For your business, using such an approach allows you to access numerous benefits. To help you learn more about this, in this article, we'll show you what an FTP server is, how it works and the best FTP servers that your company can use.

What is an FTP server?

An FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server refers to a remote server that allows you to update websites or store documents and share corporate documents via specific hosting. Most often, accessing your online data is through what is called an FTP client software that allows you to connect to your FTP server.

How an FTP host works

FTP hosting is based on FTP protocol that was designed for exchanging files via the Internet. This protocol is used to establish a connection between the online server and your computer, also called a client. Once the connection is established, it becomes possible to store and share files, texts, or images quickly and securely. Developers can also use command lines via a CLI interface to communicate with the file storage and sharing system.

By convention An FTP host uses two ports to exchange data via the Internet:

• Port 20: Used for data transfer, it allows an FTP file to be sent between the client and the server.
• Port 21: It is a control port. The FTP client uses it to communicate with the FTP server and manage files online.

Benefits of using an FTP host

Deploying FTP hosting allows you to benefit from several concrete advantages for your team:

• Remote access and file sharing: You can access your files from anywhere and share them with your collaborators.
• Centralized storage: By storing your data online, it's no longer necessary to use USB sticks or external hard drives.
• Data security: The security measures put in place by the host and the updating of the versions of the FTP protocol allow you to secure your information.
• Online collaboration: It is becoming easier to exchange files as a team via an FTP client application.

What are the differences between FTP, FTPS, and SFTP?

To fully exploit the potential of FTP hosting, it is important to Distinguish differences between protocols FTP, FTPS, and SFTP.

• FTP: The FTP protocol (File Transfer Protocol) is the so-called standard method for transmitting information between a client and an FTP server. Access is regulated via a password.
• FTP: FTPS (File Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure version of FTP. Data in transit then benefits from SSL/TLS encryption.
• SFTP: The SFTP protocol (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is used to secure exchanges. It integrates an encryption algorithm and SSH key authentication.

What are the best FTP servers?

It exists different types of FTP servers. We present the best solutions to set up this method of exchanging information between your computers and the cloud.

Windows FTP server

A Windows FTP server is a specific software installed on a computer running the Windows operating system. It allows you to exchange files with other collaborators' computers via a secure sharing network.

Linux FTP server

The Linux FTP server is installed on a Linux OS device. Like the previous one, it offers you the opportunity to share information via the FTP protocol. The only difference is that it can only work under this operating system.

Ubuntu FTP server

Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution. If you use this OS, you must therefore set up an Ubuntu FTP server that will offer you the same functionalities as a standard FTP server, but which is optimized for the Ubuntu distribution.

Debian FTP server

The Debian Linux distribution is distinguished by the fact that it is composed almost exclusively of free software. For this reason, we recommend that you look for a Debian FTP server for ensure perfect management of data exchange within your business.

OVH FTP server

OVH is a web hosting provider. As part of its services, the company offers access to an OVH FTP server. If you are a customer of this service provider, you can therefore quickly benefit from such a server to share files with other collaborators.

FileZilla FTP server

FileZille is not an FTP server. It is in fact a FTP client. It is installed on your computer and allows you to connect to the server remotely to transfer files. It is very efficient and you can use it on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

What are the alternatives to FTP hosts?

While the FTP file transfer protocol is efficient, it does have some drawbacks. So, the basic protocol does not secure the transit of data between the client and the server. Some even consider the FTP protocol to be obsolete, as there are, in fact, more modern and more secure alternatives.

They allow you to Easily store and share your files in the cloud :

• Cloud storage: Services like Dropbox or Google Drive can make it easy to store and transfer documents and have a pleasant interface. However, note that securing data or respecting personal data can be problematic.
• Collaborative platforms: Collaborative platforms like Wimi offer you the opportunity to share and store your files securely while benefiting from numerous functions dedicated to teamwork. The company hosts data in data centers located in France.
• Self-hosted servers: If you have the necessary resources internally, it is possible to create and configure your own file server. However, this requires technical knowledge and ongoing management.