How to FTP to and from UVa

Updated: February 19, 2004.

It is sometimes useful to allow our contributors and colleagues to upload or download large files by FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Although the UVa Library system is very strict about allowing outsiders onto their servers, UVa has a "public_access" directory which contains two directories: one for uploading to UVa (toUva) and one for downloading files (fromUVa).

toUVa

This method allows someone from outside UVa to send us large files. Here are the steps:

1. Use an application such as Secure FTP, Fetch, Fugu, Transmit, etc to FTP to ftp.virginia.edu
2. Login: anonymous
3. Password: a complete email address - Without being able to test it thoroughly, it seems that you can possibly enter your own email address. If that does not work, use a UVa email address like that of a THDL staff member
4. Go to the Directory: /public_access/toUVA

Here are the caveats:

• Files will only be available for download FROM a UVa server
• We cannot delete the files. They will stay on the server for 2 weeks, so this is not a good method if privacy is required
• According to some tests, there may be a problem with uploading ".exe" files. It is best to zip them. You can probably upload a whole folder of stuff. But it's probably best to zip any.exe file anyway

fromUVa

If you need to put something on an FTP server for someone outside of UVa to download, this is where to put it:

1. FTP to ftp.virginia.edu
2. Login: anonymous
3. Password: your full email address (eg. xyz@virginia.edu)
4. Directory: public_access/fromUVA. There should be a folder there called THDL, in which the files will sit.

When someone from outside UVa goes to retrieve the file from outside UVa, they can follow these steps:

1. Login: anonymous
2. Password: anonymous -- if that does not work, put in either your email address or one of ours
3. Directory: public_access/fromUVA