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109 | File-Sharing Giants of the Local Network — SMB and NFS

2025-09-26

#smb #nfs #network protocols #windows #linux

Introduction

When it comes to file sharing not over the internet, but within a local network (at the office or at home), other protocols take the stage. The two main competitors here are: SMB — the king of the Windows world, and NFS — the standard for Unix/Linux.

SMB (Server Message Block) — the language of Windows communication

SMB is a network protocol that provides shared access to files, printers, and other network resources. If you’ve ever opened a shared folder in Windows — you’ve used SMB.

108 | Specialized Tools — TFTP and SCP

2025-09-25

#tftp #scp #ssh #network protocols #administration

Introduction

In addition to “heavyweights” like SFTP, there are simpler, narrow-purpose protocols. They aren’t meant for everyday file sharing, but are indispensable in their niches. In this article, we’ll look at two such tools: TFTP and SCP.

TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) — maximum simplicity

As the name suggests, TFTP is a “trivial” or simplified version of FTP. Its main goal is to be as lightweight and easy to implement as possible.

106 | The Basics of Basics — Introduction to FTP

2025-09-23

#ftp #network protocols #basics

Introduction

When it comes to file transfer over a network, the first thing that comes to mind is FTP (File Transfer Protocol) — one of the oldest and most fundamental internet protocols. Despite its age, it’s still in use and serves as a starting point for understanding more complex systems.

What is FTP?

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a protocol designed for transferring files between computers on a network. It works on the client–server model: