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  • 1.  FTP ADAPTER - PASSIVE vs PORT

    Posted Fri March 02, 2007 11:13 AM

    Originally posted by: rarw


    Hi,

    I am concerned about using PORT mode to fix an FTP adapter problem that exists when using PASSIVE mode with the WTx FTP adapter on Solaris 10 servers. Is there another option/technique that will fix the problem described below?

    We are in development mode and using the FTP adapter for the first time. In testing we have found that the receiving server occasionally receives a zero KB file. This will cause major headaches:) if not remedied.

    The trace shows that PASSIVE mode is being used and that port theft may have occurred. This is interpreted to mean that the port is already in use. True?

    I gather from the FTP adapter documentation that PASSIVE is the default FTP adapter option. The PORT option can be used for older servers.

    I tested the FTP with the PORT option set and have not been able to make it fail yet. I do not want to assume that using the PORT option solves the problem of the server receiving a zero KB file, i.e. solves the port issue.

    The FTP is from one Solaris 10 box to another Solaris 10 box. There is no firewall between the servers. To me, this does not fit the description of an older server, at least not today.

    Has anyone encountered this type of FTP problem - receiving a zero KB file using the default FTP setting - Passive mode? Any recommendations?
    Thank you for your help and time. - Becky

    The traces for both runs, PASSIVE (failure) and PORT (successful) are shown below. (I also did some runs with a retry of 20 at one second intervals with no success. If this run is of interest please let me know and I will include it.)

    //PASSIVE--FAILED RUN

    bash-3.00$ more m4ftp.mtr
    FTP Adapter, Version 8.1(114)
    Copyright © 2004, IBM Corporation. All rights reserved
    Built for SUN on Sep 16 2006 at 01:59:10.
    Retry Count is 0. Retry Interval is 0. OnFailure is Rollback.
    Fetch Unit is 0. Card Mode is Integral.
    Will process 41112 bytes of data.
    Run Started at 09:18:56.130 on 03/01/07.
    Options used: trace,name,url
    URL FTP://<user>:*****@<server>/<FILENAME>;type=ASCII will be used.
    WSAStart: Entering
    WSAStart: bWSStarted = 0, nWSClients = 0
    Sockets Client ID 1 enabled.
    WSAStart: Exiting (rc = 1)
    Using ftp: protocol.
    Server host is '<server>'.
    Using port '21' for the connection.
    Connecting to '<server>'.
    Socket Opened.
    Connected.
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- Property of the X (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM IS PROHIBITED (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220-####################################################################### (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220-This system is intended for X authorized users only (S)
    >220-for use in conducting X business only. Activity on (S)
    >220-this system is monitored and recorded. Disconnect immediately if (S)
    >220-you do not have express written authorization to access this system! (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220-####################################################################### (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220 <server> FTP server ready. (S)
    <USER <user>
    >331 Password required for <user>. (S)
    <PASS
    >230 User <user> logged in. (S)
    <SYST
    >215 UNIX Type: L8 Version: SUNOS (S)
    Setting AIX/UNIX-specific parameters.
    Using /var/tmp/ftpAAAA3aimC as tempfile.
    Wrote 41112 bytes to /var/tmp/ftpAAAA3aimC.
    Rollback specified; returning to map engine.
    Cleanup call from prior Rollback; re-initializing instance storage.
    Map return is 0.
    <TYPE A
    >200 Type set to A. (S)
    <PASV
    >227 Entering Passive Mode (10,42,251,100,221,248) (S)
    Using port '56824' for the connection.
    Connecting to '10.42.251.100'.
    Socket Opened.
    Connected.
    <STOR <FILENAME>
    >425 Possible PASV port theft, cannot open data connection. (F)
    Socket Closed.
    Connection closed.
    <ABOR
    >225 ABOR command successful. (S)
    Data in /var/tmp/ftpAAAA3aimC deleted.
    Run Terminated at 09:18:56.631 on 03/01/07.

    //PORT----Successful Run

    -PORT option specified in FTP command

    bash-3.00$ more ../MAPS/m4ftp.mtr
    FTP Adapter, Version 8.1(114)
    Copyright © 2004, IBM Corporation. All rights reserved
    Built for SUN on Sep 16 2006 at 01:59:10.
    Retry Count is 20. Retry Interval is 1. OnFailure is Rollback.
    Fetch Unit is 0. Card Mode is Integral.
    Will process 41112 bytes of data.
    Run Started at 09:24:06.628 on 03/02/07.
    Options used: audit,trace,name,port,url
    URL FTP://<user>:*****@<server>/<filename>;type=ASCII will be used.
    WSAStart: Entering
    WSAStart: bWSStarted = 0, nWSClients = 0
    Sockets Client ID 1 enabled.
    WSAStart: Exiting (rc = 1)
    Using ftp: protocol.
    Server host is '<server>'.
    Using port '21' for the connection.
    Connecting to '<server>'.
    Socket Opened.
    Connected.
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- Property of the X(S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM IS PROHIBITED (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220-####################################################################### (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220-This system is intended for X authorized users only (S)
    >220-for use in conducting X business only. Activity on (S)
    >220-this system is monitored and recorded. Disconnect immediately if (S)
    >220-you do not have express written authorization to access this system! (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220-####################################################################### (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220- (S)
    >220 <server> FTP server ready. (S)
    <USER <user>
    >331 Password required for <user>. (S)
    <PASS
    >230 User <user> logged in. (S)
    <SYST
    >215 UNIX Type: L8 Version: SUNOS (S)
    Setting AIX/UNIX-specific parameters.
    Using /var/tmp/ftpAAAxzaWm3 as tempfile.
    Wrote 41112 bytes to /var/tmp/ftpAAAxzaWm3.
    Rollback specified; returning to map engine.
    Cleanup call from prior Rollback; re-initializing instance storage.
    Map return is 0.
    <TYPE A
    >200 Type set to A. (S)
    Preparing to listen for connections.
    Socket Opened.
    Will listen for connections on port 33860.
    Listening...
    <PORT 10,90,98,148,132,68
    >200 PORT command successful. (S)
    <STOR BDLG03S_01
    Waiting for response and connection.
    Connection accepted.
    Connected.
    No longer listening for connections.
    Socket Closed.
    Connection received. Waiting for response.
    >150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for <filename>. (S)
    Response received.
    PORT handshaking successful!
    (1713 lines sent)
    Socket Closed.
    Connection closed.
    >226 Transfer complete. (S)
    Data in /var/tmp/ftpAAAxzaWm3 deleted.
    Run Completed at 09:24:07.240 on 03/02/07. Cleanup deferred.

    <QUIT
    >221-You have transferred 42825 bytes in 1 files. (S)
    >221-Total traffic for this session was 43830 bytes in 1 transfers. (S)
    >221-Thank you for using the FTP service on <server>. (S)
    >221 Goodbye. (S)
    Socket Closed.
    Connection closed.
    WSATerm: Entering
    WSATerm: bWSStarted = 1, nWSClients = 1
    Sockets Client ID 1 disabled.
    WSATerm: nWSClients remaining = 0
    WSATerm: Exiting
    Run Completed at 09:24:08.275 on 03/02/07.
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  • 2.  Re: FTP ADAPTER - PASIVE vs PORT

    Posted Fri March 09, 2007 07:44 AM

    Originally posted by: SystemAdmin


    It looks from the trace that you have successfully connected to the data port:
    code
    >227 Entering Passive Mode (10,42,251,100,221,248) (S)
    Using port '56824' for the connection.
    Connecting to '10.42.251.100'.
    Socket Opened.
    Connected.
    [/code]

    So I don't think anyone else has jumped in and stolen the port.

    So possibly its some security feature on the FTP server or a firewall which is causing the problem.

    are there any firewalls between Mercator and the FTP server? is there any NATing of IP addresses?

    Alternatively it looks like a bug in the FTP server. Passive FTP is newer than active (port) FTP and so is not as well supported (especially if you're using the default OS FTP server as opposed to something like proftpd)

    So my recommendation would be to start using -PORT for this FTP server, you'll have a hard time investigating the firewalls and FTP server and the problem looks to be specific to passive FTP.

    Cheers,
    Olly.
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  • 3.  Re: FTP ADAPTER - PASIVE vs PORT

    Posted Mon March 19, 2007 07:50 PM

    Originally posted by: SystemAdmin


    I work with rarw. This has been resolved using -port We have no firewall between those servers. As a matter of fact they live right next to each other. The server admin stated that the solution should be switching to active mode. We reran the tests and, after the change, everything worked fine. I would think that a new Solaris 10 OS would be fine with passive, but apparently not.

    Thanks for the feedback.
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