3.2. ESTABLISHING DATA CONNECTIONS

The mechanics of transferring data consists of setting up the data connection to the appropriate ports and choosing the parameters for transfer. Both the user and the server-DTPs have a default data port. The user-process default data port is the same as the control connection port (i.e., U). The server-process default data port is the port adjacent to the control connection port (i.e., L-1).

The transfer byte size is 8-bit bytes. This byte size is relevant only for the actual transfer of the data; it has no bearing on representation of the data within a host's file system.

The passive data transfer process (this may be a user-DTP or a second server-DTP) shall "listen" on the data port prior to sending a transfer request command. The FTP request command determines the direction of the data transfer. The server, upon receiving the transfer request, will initiate the data connection to the port. When the connection is established, the data transfer begins between DTP's, and the server-PI sends a confirming reply to the user-PI.

Every FTP implementation must support the use of the default data ports, and only the USER-PI can initiate a change to non-default ports.

It is possible for the user to specify an alternate data port by use of the PORT command. The user may want a file dumped on a TAC line printer or retrieved from a third party host. In the latter case, the user-PI sets up control connections with both server-PI's. One server is then told (by an FTP command) to "listen" for a connection which the other will initiate. The user-PI sends one server-PI a PORT command indicating the data port of the other. Finally, both are sent the appropriate transfer commands. The exact sequence of commands and replies sent between the user-controller and the servers is defined in the Section on FTP Replies.

In general, it is the server's responsibility to maintain the data connection--to initiate it and to close it. The exception to this is when the user-DTP is sending the data in a transfer mode that requires the connection to be closed to indicate EOF. The server MUST close the data connection under the following conditions:

1. The server has completed sending data in a transfer mode that requires a close to indicate EOF.

2. The server receives an ABORT command from the user.

3. The port specification is changed by a command from the user.

4. The control connection is closed legally or otherwise.

5. An irrecoverable error condition occurs.

Otherwise the close is a server option, the exercise of which the server must indicate to the user-process by either a 250 or 226 reply only.