If you work or run a business, you are probably aware of some of the various services that are provided by various firms that help maintain a web presence. Hosted web pages are an excellent way of attracting and maintaining quality customer relationships. However, some of these web services are never seen and they can go a great way towards running a quality business. Hosted FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is one of these services.

Almost everyone is familiar with email and the ease at which it allows people to communicate very quickly. Furthermore, people are aware of the convenience of a fax machine although it is, for the most part, and antiquated technology. Faxes have been replaced on many levels with scanners and scanned images of documents can be easily emailed back and forth between coworkers. However, email has limitations and one of these is the size of files that can be exchanged. What does one do if they have a scanned document that exceeds the maximum file size? It is possible to split the file up in to smaller pieces but that can be more tiresome than it is worth. Another problem with email is its security. Frankly, email accounts are not the safest things in the world. What should a business do if they are exchanging confidential information? An email account can be hacked or the information stolen through social engineering. Hosted FTP helps solve both of these problems.

FTP has been used for quite a long time now and it is a very reliable technology. What makes hosted FTP so valuable to businesses is that it provides two major features. First, much like a hosted web server, the actual equipment is maintained by an outside firm – thereby taking technology worries away from the client business and ensuring consistent uptime. Second, FTP allows for the secure transmittal of data – regardless of the file type or its size. The only limitation is the band width the file will be transmitted over – because that will determine how long it takes a file to be uploaded or downloaded.

Obviously, these features are of a benefit to any business which is dealing in confidential or proprietary documents or information. Someone may be telecommuting or otherwise working away from the office and a contract or some other type of important form needs to be sent to the main office. What are the options? A fax provides no real security because anyone nearby can read what is being sent. Email can be hacked or otherwise compromised. FTP allows a direct upload from the source computer to a server without any middleman becoming involved. Hosted FTP extends this convenience by ensuring the machine is running all the time so time no longer becomes an issue. Then, a quick email can be sent back to the home office notifying that the file is available and it can be retrieved from the server. The benefits for lawyers and doctors can not be overstated.

Another clear advantage of hosted FTP is that no special software is required. There are a variety of FTP clients out there that provide different benefits. Many of these programs are freeware or open source products. FTP also functions independently of operating system. Windows, Apple, or Linux machines all work equally efficiently.

If you have a business where you have to transmit sensitive material by way of the internet, hosted FTP is a solid solution for your needs. There are different companies that provide a variety of service tiers with different benefits and options. By shopping around, you find the right one to suit your purposes.