FTP

Section 3

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Section objectives

Understand FTP
Understand AX FTP load balancing
Configure FTP Virtual Server

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FTP protocol (p. 1 of 4)

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is documented in RFC 959

FTP is an unencrypted TCP protocol used to transfer files between clients and servers
FTP has 2 connections
Control session
Data Session

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FTP protocol (p. 2 of 4)

FTP Control Session

Used for client/server communication. No data is sent on this connection.
This session is established from the client to the server (usually on port 21).
FTP Data session
This session is open "on demand" when there is need to send data between the client and the
server.
Used for client-server data exchange only.

Note: The Control Session remains open for the duration of the FTP connection. The
data session will be closed at the end of each object transfer. If you transfer 3 files,
you'll have 3 data sessions (one at a time).

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FTP protocol (p. 3 of 4)

FTP Data session – 2 modes

Active Mode (default)
In the control session, the client tells the server what IP and TCP port to use to establish the data
connection.
The server establishes the data connection to the client, and data requested in the control session
can be exchanged.

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FTP protocol (p. 4 of 4)

FTP Data session – 2 modes (cont.)

Passive Mode
In the control session, the server tells the client what IP and TCP port to use to establish the data
session.
The client establishes the data connection to the server, and data requested in the control session
can be exchanged.

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SLB configuration for FTP (p. 1 of 3)

Control session resets

During data exchange (in the data
session) there is no activity in the
control session.
Load balancers track activity on load
balanced sessions and flush stale
connections. If the data transfer
takes too long, the control
connection is dropped.
On AX, control and data session
times are linked, so there is no need
to update the timer.

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SLB configuration for FTP (p. 2 of 3)

Active Mode - Data session established from the server IP (not VIP IP)
Client establishes control connection to the VIP.
With Active Mode, the client expects the data session from the VIP IP and not the Server IP.

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SLB configuration for FTP (p. 3 of 3)

Passive Mode - Data session established to the server IP (not VIP IP)
Client establishes control connection to the VIP.
With Passive Mode, the client expects to open the data session to the VIP@ and not the
Server IP.

9
Lab

Configure layer 7 FTP Virtual Server

Physical servers
Service Group
Source NAT
Virtual Server
Verify functionality

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Section 5 summary

In this module we discussed FTP protocol

We have configured FTP Virtual Server and health monitor

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Course map

Section 0: Course Introduction

Section 1: Load Balancing Concepts
Section 2: AX Management
Section 3: FTP
Section 4: HTTP
Section 5: HTTPS
Section 6: AX Acceleration
Section 7: AX Security
Section 8: High Availability
Section 9: AX Troubleshooting
Section 10: aFleX

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