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+Network Working Group H. Brodie
+Request for Comments #269 UCLA-NMC
+NIC # 7817 6 December 71
+Categories: File Transfer
+Updates: 122, 238, 172
+Obsoletes: None
+
+
+ Some Experience with File Transfer
+
+At UCLA-NMC we have recently completed implementation of a program which
+utilizes UCSB's storage capability via their Simple Minded File System
+(See RFC #122 by Jim White for a description of SMFS). The use of the
+program is detailed in Appendix A.
+
+We learned a number of things in the implementation effort and
+subsequent usage. We think a number of these apply towards the
+development of a net- word-wide File Transfer Protocol, and we hope to
+stimulate further dis- cussion of these issues. We discovered some
+things in the UCSB protocol that we would like to see included in the
+network-wide protocol, and we see some things that are in the currently
+proposed net protocol and are unfortunately absent from the UCSB
+protocol.
+
+In the first category, is the UCSB file retrieval procedure. The user
+specifies among other things, a bit count of the number of bits to be
+retrieved in the current request.
+
+Successive RTF commands yield successive pieces of the file. Portions
+of the file can be spaced over by use of the SPF command. We think that
+the ability of the user to specify the size of the "chunks" of the file
+he is about to receive, along with the ability to access any part of the
+file without having to get the entire file, is definitely an advantage.
+It makes the user programs easier to write since the problem of parsing
+the input stream virtually disappears, as the user program knows exactly
+what to expect at all times. In addition, the one request, one response
+nature of the protocol avoids the problem of sending a request and then
+receiving pieces of data of unpredictable size at unknown intervals.
+The response to each RTF gives the comforting knowledge that "they're
+still listening". This leads us to believe that there is much to be
+gained by the adoption of a one request, one response type of protocol.
+We might point out that for any significant file transfer, this does not
+seriously cut down on the overall data transfer rate, since a
+"defaulting" type of approach, as SMFS uses can be used to keep the
+request messages very small. We also have found the mandatory password
+scheme of UCSB quite easily used, and any server site, (i.e. a site
+specifically advertising file storage) can reasonably be expected, in
+our opinion, to require passwords (see also RFC #238 by R. Braden).
+
+
+
+ [Page 1]
+
+Network Working Group H. Brodie
+Request for Comments #269 UCLA-NMC
+NIC #7817 6 December 71
+
+Almost immediately after starting to use SMFS we found a serious lack in
+one area. There is no way for a user to ask "what files do I have
+there?" As a matter of fact, the author suspects that there are already
+several files there which he has "forgotten" about! It is reasonable,
+perhaps even necessary, for any server to supply a nicely formatted
+character string describing the files stored there for this password, or
+user, or whatever division is used. The listing should also contain
+other pertinent information, such as date created, size etc.
+
+In the meantime, UCSB is providing the SEX system with valuable "out-of-
+line on-line" storage, and we look forward to the development of a
+widely accepted file transfer protocol, implemented on a large number of
+server sites, hopefully equipped with low cost bulk storage.
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+ [Page 2]
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+SEX Notebook Appendix A H. Brodie
+Section 23.29 3 December 71
+
+ FXFER
+
+FXFER is a re-entrant program written in Symbol which is used to send a
+receive file from UCSB, using their Simple Minded File System. For the
+description of the Network interface to SMFS, see RFC #122 by Jim White.
+
+Files are stored there in a paged format identical to the paged format
+that the tape process uses: <header><data page><data page>... Thus a
+file which Master lists as having n pages will take 2048 n bytes of
+storage at UCSB. The user's sign-on initials are used as both the
+access and modification passwords, so that if a file is sent under on
+user's sign-on, they can only be retrieved or deleted by him.
+
+Commands
+
+PA - Increments "print All" counter. Different settings of this
+ counter yield different levels of program trace output on
+ the console.
+
+NP - No print. This sets the "Print All" counter to zero.
+
+DF FOO - This deletes the file "FOO" located at UCSB.
+
+PF FOO - This sends the file "FOO", pointed to by the user's root
+ directory, to UCSB. Only read access is needed to "FOO".
+
+GF FOO - The file "FOO" located at UCSB is retrieved and put in the
+ user's root (with write access). Note that it must have been
+ sent by the user to have the right password.
+
+RN FOO BAR - Rename the file "FOO" at UCSB to "BAR". The same password
+ restrictions as with PF and GF apply. (Not yet implemented)
+
+ST - Status. Tells what program is doing and how much its done.
+
+X - Exit Program.
+
+If the system and/or UCSB is particularly slow, then UCSBFIL may type a
+time-out message. At this point the user has the option of continuing,
+or exiting the program. The message is self-explanatory, as are most of
+the program's messages.
+
+ [ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
+ [ into the online RFC archives by Nick Christenson 10/97]
+
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+ [Page 3]
+