FTP Hosting Explained – How Does It Work?
FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol
FTP can be used for swift sharing or delivery of information from one point to another. The first requisite is a FTP hosting service. It is very important that you find a suitable hosting provider.
Gone are the days when gathering information meant spending hours in the library. Scrounging and pouring over a dozen books. Moreover, if you wanted to share some valuable piece of data with a friend or colleague who lived miles away, the alternative was either to fix an appointment or use a postal service. It can take several days to transfer information this way. All of this changed when the Internet arrived – not only did it shorten the time taken to search for knowledge but also for sharing/transferring it. No matter the distance. This is where File Transfer Protocol comes in.
How Exactly Does FTP Work?
One of the advantages of the Internet is the speed with which it is possible to share files. Within a secure environment, no matter what the distance or the difference in time zones. There is a specific protocol that is responsible for this functionality and is particularly useful for transferring large files.
Universally referred to as FTP, File Transfer Protocol enables you to smoothly shift files from one location to another within minutes without facing any security hazards. Uploading and downloading of files occurs at the FTP site. The site is protected by a password that is specific to every user. The user would need to access the FTP site via a login-id and password and selecting the appropriate file folders for uploading and transferring files.
Choosing a provider
Typically there is no upper limit on the number or the size of files that can be shared via FTP hosting. However, your choice of service provider could have a huge impact on the efficiency of the exercise. Discussed as follows are some of the criteria which you must bear in mind while selecting the FTP service provider…
Speed of the Connection
Minimum bandwidth that the FTP hosting service provider must provide his clients with is 256 K. Anything less than this should be treated as a ‘red flag’ and avoided since it is indicative of a service provider with limited speed of connection.
When you subscribe for FTP hosting service that has a speed of connection between 100 K and 256 K, there are bound to be problems while uploading large files. Even more so if they are in audio and video formats.
Allotted Storage
Your FTP hosting service will allot a certain amount of storage space on the server which you are meant to store your files. That being said, there are times when you might exceed this limit if the files are particularly large. In such a situation, the service provider should be flexible enough to adjust the upper limit rather than block the transfer of files. If you choose one of our Unlimited hosting plans this is not an issue.
FTP Security
Security should be one of your foremost concerns while searching for a FTP service provider. It has a direct impact on the data that you wish to transfer. A credible and reputed service provider will have a physical address, NOC, and a full-fledged center. All of these are true with Ultra Web Hosting. There are several entities which run a hosting service in a basement and do not offer anything other than a low monthly charge.
Other advantages of a credible hosting service would be generating backup files, adequate bandwidth, and a firewall. These all contribute towards security.
Customer Support
– The FTP hosting service provider must also provide you with online support. Online support which is attended round the clock and a team of knowlegable executives who would promptly respond to your queries.
Try sending an email or placing a call just to find out the time and quality of response. This would give you a fairly good idea as to whether the FTP hosting service provider is worthy of your subscription.
Final Word
Nowadays, technology has advanced to the point of providing in-built web-based programs that facilitate uploading and downloading of files. You can use this as a criterion while searching for FTP hosting service provider. It would provide you with the flexibility of transferring files from any computer as long as the Internet connectivity is stable.
Not all FTP hosting service providers are born equal.
FTP is included free with all of our hosting plans. You may check out our standard hosting plans here…
https://www.ultrawebhosting.com/shared-web-hosting
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