Creating RA FTP Agent Connection Objects for Each FTP Server

With the RA FTP Agent, you create Connection objects of type FTPAGENT > FTPCONNECTION as source and destination hosts. Each Connection object has either an FTP, FTPS, FTPES, or SFTP protocol and all the necessary additional options for connection.

The Login field on the Attributes page is not used for Automation Engine Jobs of the FTP Agent.

Fields for all FTPCONNECTION Connection objects are described below.

  • Protocol

    • A single protocol for this Connection object. Connection protocols include:

    • FTP: File transfer protocol
    • FTPS: FTP with implicit encryption
    • FTPES: FTP with explicit encryption
    • SFTP: SSH file transfer protocol (generally recommended)

    The protocol you select determines:

    • The default port number in the Port field below.
    • The available Advanced Options at the bottom of the tab.
  • Host

    • The host or IP address of the target host.

  • Port

    • The port used for the operation. Any time you select or change the protocol in the Protocol field above, the default value for this field is automatically updated. If you select:

    • FTP or FTPES, the port will be 21.
    • FTPS, the port will be 990.
    • SFTP, the port will be 22.

    To use a different port for the operation, enter the port number after selecting the protocol.

  • Username

    • The user ID on the target host

  • Password

    • The password for the host user ID.

  • Socks proxy, use server settings

    • Used with SOCKS proxy servers:

    • When this box is checked: The Agent uses the settings on the Agent's SOCKS proxy server settings sub-tab. For more information on the SOCKS proxy server settings sub-tab, see topic Configuring the RA FTP Agent.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): SOCKS proxy server settings are not used.

FTP Advanced Options

Advanced Options for FTP are described below:

  • Force active mode

    • Determines how the data connections are established. Check this box when you are transferring files through a proxy server or if you have any reason to explicitly use active mode:

    • When this box is checked: The Agent creates a socket, command port, and the data port to connect to the server and initiate sessions.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): The Agent attempts to connect with passive mode to send commands on the command port.
  • Remote host address verification

    • Sets remote host address verification:

    • When this box is checked: When the FTP creates the data port, the Agent validates that the remote IP address matches the socket. If this box is checked and you are trying to transfer through a proxy server, the transfer will fail.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): No remote host address verification is done and the FTP will not fail as the result of the proxy server.
  • Use FTP proxy server settings

    • Used with FTP proxy servers:

    • When this box is checked: The Agent uses the settings on the Agent's FTP proxy server settings sub-tab. For more information on the FTP proxy server settings sub-tab, see topic Configuring the RA FTP Agent.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): FTP proxy server settings are not used.

FTPS Advanced Options

FTPS uses implicit TLS/SSL. It supports TLS 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2 and SSL 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. Advanced Options for FTPS are described below:

  • Force active mode

    • Determines how the data connections are established. Check this box when you are transferring files through a proxy server or if you have any reason to explicitly use active mode:

    • When this box is checked: The Agent creates a socket, command port, and the data port to connect to the server and initiate sessions.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): The Agent attempts to connect with passive mode to send commands on the command port.
  • Remote host address verification

    • Sets remote host address verification:

    • When this box is checked: When the FTP creates the data port, the Agent validates that the remote IP address matches the socket. If this box is checked and you are trying to transfer through a proxy server, the transfer will fail.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): No remote host address verification is done and the FTP will not fail as the result of the proxy server.

FTPES Advanced Options

FTPES uses explicit TLS/SSL. It supports SSL 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. Advanced Options for FTPES are described below:

  • Force active mode

    • Determines how the data connections are established. Check this box when you are transferring files through a proxy server or if you have any reason to explicitly use active mode:

    • When this box is checked: The Agent creates a socket, command port, and the data port to connect to the server and initiate sessions.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): The Agent attempts to connect with passive mode to send commands on the command port.
  • Remote host address verification

    • Sets remote host address verification:

    • When this box is checked: When the FTP creates the data port, the Agent validates that the remote IP address matches the socket. If this box is checked and you are trying to transfer through a proxy server, the transfer will fail.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): No remote host address verification is done and the FTP will not fail as the result of the proxy server.
  • PBSZ

    • The protection buffer size, default value is 0.

  • PROT

    • Data Channel Protection level (PROT command): Indicates to the server what type of data channel protection the Client and server will use, commands include:

    • Clear
    • Safe (SSL protocol only)
    • Confidential (SSL protocol only)
    • Private (default)

SFTP Advanced Options

Advanced Options for SFTP are described below:

  • Skip remote directory check

    • Determines the behavior when the path for delete and copy commands point to a directory:

    • When this box is checked: A check is not done before issuing copy or delete commands on directories. If the directory is empty, the copy or delete commands will fail.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): A check is done before issuing copy or delete commands on directories. When delete commands are issued against directories, the Agent determines whether to delete the directories and all of their contents based on how the delete command is defined. For Delete commands defined in the FTP Job browsers, you determine this using the Delete files recursively option. When copy commands are issued against directories, the Agent copies the directory and its contents including all sub-directories and their contents based on how the copy command is defined. For Copy commands defined in the FTP Job browsers, you determine this using the Copy children folders and files option.
  • SFTP key authentication

    • Used for SFTP key authentication:

    • When this box is checked: The Agent uses the settings set in the Key File and Pass Phrase fields for SFTP Key authentication.
    • When this box is unchecked (default): SFTP key authentication settings are not used.
  • Key file

    • Specify an absolute path for a private key file.

  • Pass phrase

    • An optional pass phrase.

For more information on SFTP Key Authentication, see topic SFTP Key Authentication for UNIX.