Building an FTP Server

FTP is a client/server process. Most of this chapter has been about the client side because it is most likely that you will be trying to find files for download. In this section, you will learn about SUSE Linux's file-serving capabilities.

As alluded to before, two types of FTP servers exist: Authenticated (or standard) servers and Anonymous servers. A standard FTP server requires a valid username and password to give access. Anonymous FTP allows anyone access.

Anonymous servers are convenient for users, but can pose a security threat if not cared for. Fortunately, SUSE Linux uses logical permission schemes and a default configuration that makes it difficult for you to make mistakes.

SUSE Linux users can build both types of FTP servers, but this section will focus on securing an anonymous server with the Very Secure FTP server package, vsftpd.