How do you copy a file from one unix server to another?

Question

I can think of

• ftp
• nfs
• ssh
• rcp

any other ways? Comments?

NOTE: these two servers are inside LAN, the copying is not over the Internet

Answer 1

Two more:

• rsync
• scp

Answer 2

One more - netcat.

Answer 3

Haven't used it in years but:

• uucp

Answer 4

rsync, it's better if you need to sync every day two remote folders, don't waste bandwith (transfer only changed chunks).

Answer 5

SMTP. No, seriously: I had a situation ages ago on a badly adminned Sun-centric network where this was the only port that didn't hangup when it received more than 50K or so. So I wrote a script that telnet 25'd tarballs around. It was silly, but it worked.

"Maliciously incompetent" was the term my officemate used about the admin.

Answer 6

Print out the file, then manually type it in on the other computer. Bring a lot of coffee!

Answer 7

Hmmm, how come nobody said SAMBA yet?

Answer 8

I occasionaly use sendfile.

Answer 9

I find rsync and scp very functional, but not expressive. If you want to express yourself technically, I recommend a combination of netcat and dd.

However, a true artist would use a protocol like RFC 1159, A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers, or perhaps even write their own protocol.

Answer 10

Use ssh.

Set up public key authentication, then on the receiving computer do MOTD_LEN='ssh 'cat /dev/null' | wc -l' ; ssh 'cat | tail -n +$(( $MOTD_LEN + 1 ))(You'll need to turn the first apostrophe and the one after "wc -l" into backticks; markdown doesn't like them.)

Or you can just use email.

Answer 11

TFTP. It's more popular nowadays for things like loading firmware on VoIP phones but it was once common for booting headless workstations.

Answer 12

There's always 'Laplink' over serial or parallel (extra speed for power users!), or am I showing my age here?

Oh and some linux's support DLC over SDLC and X.25 too

Answer 13

Under unix the proper way to copy a file is to create your own protocol and compile a command to carry out the requested function. Any other command that already exists that might perform that function is probably not exactly the way that you'll want it done. An excellent reference about this phenomenon is in this PDF. Enjoy!