Configuring Automated Scripts

For automated environments, no cost/low cost secure FTP clients are available that can exchange files via encrypted FTP over SSH (SFTP).

> FTP over SSH (SFTP)

  • SFTP clients are typically found on UNIX/Linux systems and IBM OS/390 mainframes
  • The Clearinghouse secure FTP system works with a variety of third-party clients
    • Tested with OpenSSH, F-Secure, and SSH Communications SFTP clients on UNIX
    • Tested with F-Secure, PSFTP, and WinSCP SFTP clients on Windows

Example:

SSH clients use TCP Port-22 to establish the connection with the server. Make sure that your firewall is configured to allow outbound traffic on Port-22 to ftps.nslc.org .

Contact the Clearinghouse to obtain a username and password for the secure FTP system. Although SSH uses a public key signature in lieu of a password, you can still use your password to access our secure FTP system interactively via a Web browser or a command line program.

The following example uses the SSH Tectia Client obtained from www.ssh.com . The Tectia Client has a file transfer program named SFTP2, based on the SSH2 standard. The following steps are typical of those running on a Unix platform:

1. Enter the command:

sftp2 userid@ftps.nslc.org

If this is the first time your host establishes a connection with ftps.nslc.org, it will prompt you to create a host key file for ftps.nslc.org. Create the key file. If you would like to confirm the key’s signature, please contact the Clearinghouse.

2. If you do not already have a public/private keypair for SSH, create one using the command:

ssh-keygen2

3. Provide the Clearinghouse with your public key fingerprint. The Clearinghouse will add that to your user account on our secure FTP system.

4. Create a batch file of FTP commands such as the following (batch.file):

open userid@ftps.nslc.org
put test.file
close

Note: You can send a test file, but please indicate in the contents and the name that it is a test file.

5. You can run the batch file with the following command:

sftp2 -B batch.file

6. For automated transfers, you can schedule this command to run at a particular time.

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