7 Functional Comparison of FTP and FTAM

A comprehensive comparison of the services offered by FTP and FTAM is beyond the scope of this specification. What follows is an analysis of several key points. Refer to [NIST 86a] and [ROSE90] for a more complete discourse on this topic.

FTAM is not a superset of FTP; each protocol has functions that only it performs. The set of FTAM functions is, however, larger than the set of FTP functions.

FTP combines file management and file transfer into one protocol engine, whereas FTAM separates management and transfer as they relate to files.

The file transfer services of both FTP and FTAM expect a reliable underlying end-to-end service. At a minimum, this service includes the capability to transfer entire files between remote hosts and to display remote filenames.

In addition to this basic file transfer service, FTAM supports the capability to: access a few records from a file server, create a network file system (similar to Sun's Network File System), handle printing and spooling, and access remote database records. FTP does not support these additional capabilities.

FTP uses TELNET services to set up a connection between the FTP Client and FTP Server. A three-digit reply code followed by explanatory text indicates the status of the preceding request and provides diagnostic information explaining each transaction.

FTAM relies on the Association Control Service Element (ACSE) to start and stop the network for network file interaction. Generally, the ASCE establishes the application association and related application context...