Jack William Bell's Journal: FSP: for when FTP is just a bit too much

FSP, or File Server Protocol, is a UDP based protocol for transferring files. Once nearly forgotten, it has been ressurected and is back in development.

Why use FSP instead of FTP? Because it is based on UDP packets and is fully stateless it is much lighter on the server end, meaning you can carry more simultaneous connections with the same hardware and network connection. For the same reason it is invisible to port scanners and most firewalls. Also it keeps out the lamers...

FTP indeed sucks

[NaveWeiss]

FTP is a mess with the firewalls, because opening port 21 for it is not enough! You have to open data ports too!

But I don't like UDP - mostly because it doesn't show up in netstat. I'd rather someone makes a protocol which supports file listings and uploads, but requires only one open connection. Heh. Like Norton pcAnywhere. ;)

Re:FTP indeed sucks

[Penguin Follower]

I'd rather someone makes a protocol which supports file listings and uploads, but requires only one open connection.

Agreed! I am not a fan of UDP, either. It would be great if we had a new "ftp" that only used one open connection.

Re:FTP indeed sucks

[Jack William Bell]

I would think that you could modify the FSP protocol to use standard TCP packets over a single port. Basicially just combine FSP with HTTP...

Re:FTP indeed sucks

[NaveWeiss]

Sounds cool. Want to help me with that? ;)

Re:FTP indeed sucks

[Jack William Bell]

Sounds cool. Want to help me with that? ;)

Sure, just as soon as I finish the ten or twelve outstanding projects I already have...