New Features
New in WS_FTP Server 7.5.1 (released March 2011)
Failover
Now you can deploy WS_FTP Server in a failover configuration to achieve higher availability. This works with either Microsoft Cluster Services (MSCS) or Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB).
If you are interested in adding failover capabilities to WS_FTP Server, please contact us directly for a competitive quote.
Multiple SSH keys per authenticated users
A single user may now authenticate with two, three, or more different SSH client keys. This allows interactive or automated processes that share a common username and sign-on from several different machines to enjoy the benefits of multi-factor authentication without the administrative hassle of key replication and coordination.
New in WS_FTP Server 7.5
New Ad-Hoc Transfer module
New module available for purchase separately with WS_FTP Server 7.5. The Ad-Hoc Transfer module enables you to quickly and easily share information through Microsoft Outlook or a web browser with anyone who has an email address. Information is sent quickly, securely and systems administrators can create and enforce sharing rules and also have complete visibility into all file sharing.
Enhanced platform support
WS_FTP Server 7.5 now supports 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003.
Microsoft Hyper-V support
Support for Microsoft Hyper-V enables you to run WS_FTP Server in a virtualised environment, which helps to reduce hardware costs and improve manageability.
Latest browser support
The web admin console, Web Transfer Module and Ad-Hoc Transfer Module support the latest versions of Internet Explorer, FireFox and Safari web browsers.
New in WS_FTP Server 7.1
SMTP Server Authentication support for email notifications
Support for SMTP Server Authentication enables email notifications when a file transfer/server event occurs to be sent via a greater range of mail servers.
New notification variables
Include TransferType, ClientIPAddress, HostName and FileSize variables within notification messages.
LDAP Queries
Enhanced LDAP support enables administrators to utilize larger and more advanced queries into their Active Directory and LDAP authentication databases.
Digitally Signed Executable
WS_FTP Server is digitally signed to ensure the integrity of the application.
VMware ESX Support
Support for VMware ESX enables administrators to run the server is a virtual environment which reduces hardware costs and increases manageability and portability.
Windows Server 2008 Support
Supports Microsoft Windows 2008 (32 and 64 bit), Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 or later, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 or later.
Extended Service Agreement
WS_FTP Server Corporate owners have a new Extended Emergency Service Agreement optional purchase, which provides emergency call-back support (24x7x365) with a 2-hour maximum call back time.
New in WS_FTP Server 7
- Anti-Hammering - Identify, log and automatically block IP addresses and subnet ranges that attempt consecutive failed logon attempts
- FIPS 140-2 Validated Cryptography - Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) approved and validated cryptography up to and including 256-bit AES encryption over SSL, SSH, and SCP2 protocols
- Secure Copy (SCP2) - Secure Copy enables secure file transfers using product supporting the Secure Shell (SSH2) protocol, such as PuTTY and OpenSSH
- Enforce Secure Client-Server Connections - Administrators can require encrypted SSH or SSL client-server connections. Ability to force all clients to connect at SSH, SSL v3 or TLS 1.0 or higher.
- SSH Listener Options - Support for suppressing the SSH protocol name and version from being displayed on the login banner, preventing users from attempting malicious actions on the SSH server based on protocol name and version.
- External Authentication - Support for LDAP (Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory and OpenLDAP) authentication with failover.
- Email Address Added to User Properties - New user property for storing and using end users e-mail address. The email address can be used as a notification variable for dynamic insertion in notification messages.
- Ability to lock into and control how the end user’s home folder is displayed.
- IP Whitelist for End User Authentication - Define specific IP addresses or subnets that can always connect to the server.
- Web Transfer Module - Enable web transfer module access for end users via command line or as a user property.
- And more...
Features
Highest Levels of Security
Anti-Hammering
Identify, log and automatically block IP addresses and subnets that attempt consecutive failed logon attempts.
FIPS 140-2 Validated Cryptography
Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) approved and validated cryptography up to and including 256-bit AES encryption over SSL, SSH, and SCP2 protocols.
Secure Copy (SCP2)
Secure Copy enables secure file transfers using product supporting the Secure Shell (SSH2) protocol, such as PuTTY and OpenSSH, and provides easy interoperability with Linux and Unix systems.
SSH Transfers
Transfer files over SSH protocol, which is firewall-friendly (uses a single port), supports inline compression for optimised file transfers, and maintains data encryption on all connections all the time.
256-bit AES encryption
With leading 256-bit encryption over SSL and SSH (SFTP and SCP2) connections delivers unrivaled encryption strength.
SSH Key Management
SSH user keys can be imported and exported to and from Windows, Unix, and Linux systems.
Configure Email Notifications for SMTP Server Authentication
Easily configure business rules to automatically authenticate and send email notifications when specified file transfer or server events occur.
File Integrity
Guarantee uncompromised delivery with file integrity checking up to SHA-512. Works optimally with WS_FTP Professional.
Force Secure Client-Server Connections
Administrators can require encrypted SSH or SSL client-server connections. Ability to force all clients to connect at SSH, SSL v3 or TLS 1.0 or higher.
SSL Certificate Support
The WS_FTP Server Trusted Authorities database now supports SSL certificate chains containing either the full chain or just the peer level certificate.
SSH Listener Option
Support for suppressing the SSH protocol name and version from being displayed on the login banner, preventing users from attempting malicious actions on the SSH server based on protocol name and version.
Stronger Password Policies
Include auto-expiring passwords and guidelines for strong password creation that require users to reset their password at any time on an ongoing basis.
Concealed Server Details
Hide logon banner to conceal server details.
Login Authentication Encryption
All client-server connections are encrypted when using SSH or SSL protocol. FTP connections are also encrypted between WS_FTP Server and WS_FTP Professional.
Digital Certificate Management
SSL certificates and SSH keys can be used for creating, importing, and exporting. Global SSL certificates and a Trusted Authorities database can be created on a per-host basis.
Mutual Authentication
Mutual authentication of server and connecting file transfer clients.
Exceed Compliance Regulations
Be compliant with government regulations such as HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, PCI DSS, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, BASEL II, and J-SOX.
Industry-Standard Algorithms
Industry-standard and FIPS-compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing.
Powerful Administrator Tools
External Authentication
Support for LDAP (Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory and OpenLDAP) authentication with failover.
Operating System Support
Support for 64-bit operating systems. WS_FTP Server can now be used with Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 (32-bit and 64-bit).
Email Address Added to User Properties
New user property for storing and using end users e-mail address. The email address can be used as a notification variable for dynamic insertion in notification messages.
New Display Options for User Home Folders
Ability to lock into and control how the end user's home folder is displayed.
IP Whitelist for End User Authentication
Define specific IP addresses or subnets that can always connect to the server.
Enhanced Date Formatting Support
The log viewer now supports nine different US and international display formats such as MM/DD/YY, DD-MM-YYYY and YYYY.MM.DD. Flexible configuration for setting the date format in the log viewer.
Web Transfer Module
Enable Web Transfer Module access for end users via command line or as a user property.
Configuration and Integration Consulting
Ability to scheduled two-hour remote session with a senior technician.
Licensing
New licensing technology simplifies procurement and provisioning & notifies you when software updates are available and enables maintenance-free upgrades.
High Availability
Improved Speed and Scalability
Faster FTP transfers and up to 50% better performance under heavy loads. Now scales to thousands of concurrent users.
Architecture for Clustering
Utilise existing High Availability infrastructure to group multiple servers for redundancy, and overcome scheduled and unscheduled server downtime.
Architecture for Load Balancing
Utilise existing High Availability infrastructure to distribute workload among multiple servers for improved performance.
Disaster Recovery
Configure the top-level directory to point to a local or shared network drive that can be easily covered by disaster recovery processes.
Meet Compliance Requirements
Compliant
Exceeds the requirements of many compliance regulations worldwide, including HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, PCI DSS, GLBA, and Basel II.
FIPS 140-2 cryptography
Meets federal cryptographic requirements with FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography up to 256-bit AES encryption over SSL and SSH.
Customisable server logs
Compile a detailed and granular record of all administrator and end-user activity. SYSLOG support enables log data to be integrated into a central data repository.
Provide a Flexible File Transfer Solution
Variety of file transfer options
WS_FTP Server modules deliver a variety of transfer options, including web transfer module, and WS_FTP Professional – the world's #1 file transfer client.
Flexibility
The WS_FTP Server is optimised to work with the WS_FTP Professional file transfer client, but it works with any desktop file transfer software.
Installation & Configuration Flexibility
Silent Install for Fast Deployment of Multiple Servers
Customise installation configuration and quickly get multiple server deployments with unattended bulk installations up and running remotely.
Choice of Databases
Use the embedded WS_FTP Server database or integrate with an existing Microsoft® SQL Server or Microsoft SQL Server Express for both user authentication and server system configuration.
Choice of Web Servers
Use the default standards-based Web server that ships with WS_FTP Server or integrate with Microsoft IIS for powering the Web administration interface.
Syslog Support
Integrate WS_FTP logs with a company database or central data repository.
Real-Time Active Directory Integration
Easily integrate with Active Directory database for user authentication. Utilise robust filtering to allow only the appropriate users to authenticate.
Flexible User Authentication
Leverage existing user databases, including Active Directory, NT, Ipswitch IMail, or any ODBC-compliant database for integrated and secure user authentication.
Greater Visibility
Storage Utilisation Displayed to Connecting WS_FTP Professional Clients
Users connecting to WS_FTP Server 6.1 with the WS_FTP Professional 2007.1 file transfer client get a real-time view of their server disk space utilisation.
Client-Server Logging
Capture all file transfer activities with ability to filter, sort, and export. Filter allows you to narrow log data by user, client IP address, error message, and more.
Administration Logging
Keep an auditable record of server administrator actions with the ability to filter, sort, and export.
Real-time View of Client Connections
View client and server connections with ability to drop users or block IPs.
Notifications
Create rules that automatically trigger email, SMS, and pager alerts and launch external programs.
Ultimate Control
Protocol Choice
Enable file transfers over FTP, SSH / SFTP, and SSL / FTPS (Implicit and Explicit).
Web Administration
Remote administration and management from any Internet connection.
Lock Files During Upload
Ensure version control by preventing different users from simultaneously uploading and downloading the same file. File lock also prevents users from downloading a file before it's fully uploaded to the server.
Separation of Duties
Create host administrators who can only manage specified host. Set default host- and user-level options once and have them automatically apply to all new users added to the host from that point on.
Permissions
Assign user or group permissions for uploading files, downloading files, deleting files, renaming files, and creating directories. Users can be locked into their home folder so they can’t navigate outside of their home directory structure.
Usage limitations
Set limitations on storage space, file count, and bandwidth utilisation.
Automatic Restart
Automatically restart interrupted file transfers where they left off so users never lose valuable data because of a lost connection.
Customised Messages
Display a customised message to connecting clients when they logon to the server.
Address Blocking
Server access controls and ability to block connections by IP address.
Virtual Folders
Grant virtual access to files so they can be shared by multiple users without knowledge that another user exists.
Firewall/Network Address Translations (NAT)
Used to support for SSL connections.
Configurable IP Addresses
Configure IP address and ports for better performance with firewalls and NAT devices.
Supports Anonymous Users
Administrators can choose to make the server available to the public without having to create and maintain user accounts.
Customisable SITE commands
Administrators can create custom commands that FTP clients can issue to help manage the server and files.