At IU, can I use FTP or SFTP to access my RFS space?

Note: To keep pace with the growing needs of Indiana University researchers, Research File System (RFS) storage will be migrating in the near future from OpenAFS to a new technology from DataDirect Networks, Inc. (DDN), based on the General Parallel File System (GPFS). For more, see Information about upcoming changes to the Research File System at IU.

While you cannot use non-secure FTP clients (such as Hummingbird FTP) to access the Research File System (RFS) at Indiana University, you can use a secure FTP (SFTP) client to access RFS. SFTP clients include the one built into WinSCP for Windows, Cyberduck for Mac OS X, and the Unix sftp command.

Windows

Note: SSH Secure Shell Client for Windows is no longer available for download from IUware or SSH Communications. For alternative SSH and SFTP clients, see At IU, what SSH/SFTP clients are supported and where can I get them?

To make an SFTP connection to the RFS in Windows using SSH Secure Shell Client:

1. Click Start and select Programs, then SSH Secure Shell, and finally Secure File Transfer Client. If you are using a different SFTP client, or if you moved your SSH Secure Shell folder after installation, launch your client appropriately.

   Note: In the Windows Student Technology Centers (STCs), click Start and select Programs, then Utilities, and finally Secure Shell Client. Once the client launches, find and click the Windows menu at the top, and then choose New File Transfer.

2. In the SFTP client window, click the Connect icon. (In SSH Secure Shell, this looks like a small computer, and if you pause your mouse over it, you will see the word "Connect".)
   
   
3. In the "Host Name:" field, type rfs.iu.edu . In the "User Name:" field, type your Network ID username. Click Connect, and then, in the dialog box that appears, supply your Network ID passphrase.

   This should place you at the top level in your RFS space.

Mac OS X

If you are an IU student, faculty member, or staff member, you can download Cyberduck, an SFTP client for Mac OS X, from IUware; see How do I download and install software from IUware?

For instructions on using Cyberduck to transfer files, see In Mac OS X, how do I use Cyberduck to transfer files over SFTP? To connect to your RFS account, use the hostname rfs.iu.edu .