Anonymous FTP Files

Our anonymous ftp area can be reached by /home/ftp/pub on Linux, or \\samba-aoc\ftp from Windows.   In this location are a number of subdirectories. Some are there for the purpose of software distribution (e.g. software) while others are to allow local staff and co-workers at remote sites to exchange data (e.g. staff, incoming).

The subdirectory named staff is for outgoing data to be retrieved by co-workers at remote sites.   Local staff have to create their own subdirectory under staff, with the same name as their username.   For instance, John Doe creates the subdirectory jdoe under staff and oopies his data there.   Users are allowed to create these <username> subdirectories (and any subdirectories they want under <username>).

This mode of transfer (pulling instead of pushing) is *always* to be preferred, as the writing to the directory is done by a local staff member.

In cases which this cannot be done, e.g. due to restrictions at the other end, pushing data by the remote site to NRAO is possible, but has more restrictions because of its much greater inherent risk.   Note that we do not allow copying files directly to pub/incoming.   Instead we have set up subdirectories such as pub/incoming/username owned by <username> but with group ftp privileges.   These directories are owner and group writable but only owner readable which means anonymous ftp can place files there but only <username> can get them.

Copyright © 2009 Associated Universities, Inc.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Content reviewed on: 09-November-2006
Reviewed by: George Martin

Page maintained by Jeff Goldin