FTP Problem

[Steven Cage]

We are running OpenVMS Version 7.3-1 with TCPIP Services V5.3-18 and TCPIP_ECO V5.3-184.
We have a problem while trying to pull files from the server using FTP. Sometimes the copied file is created empty and other times complete. It is intermittent however when we run a protocol analyzer the ftp control session appears to be shutting down the connection before the data has been sent. On an OpenVMS system running version 7.2-1 and TCPIP Version 5.1 the packet sequence appears to be correct and the ftp works every time! any ideas? I can be contacted on +44-207-832-2320 to discuss further. Thanks in advance, Steve Cage

[Ian Miller.]

I have see simiar on other versions but not on that version. From a quick look there does not appear anything in TCPIP V5.3 ECO2 but its always worth asking hp

[Anton van Ruitenbeek]

Steven,

Is there a space in youre password. We got that problem. If a space is in the password strange thing happen. From HP we got a patch for this.
If I'm right it will be solved in 5.4 .

AvR

[Wim Van den Wyngaert]

Again,

We had a simular problem caused by firewalls.
We added ipport_userreserved_min 5=51001 and ipport_userreserved=59999 to sysconfigtab.dat.

Reason was that the firewall was sending us a reset package (which seemed to come from the other side) because the port used by ftp was used by other sessions on the firewall (note that this is a bug). Maybe your 7.2-1 is using other port number.

Wim

Plus :

to check, run a tcpip trace on the other side and check if the reset is transmitted.

[Steven Cage]

Thanks to everybody for your help. The problem is still not solved although I have HP looking at a network trace. We do not have any spaces in our password and the server is not behind a firewall.

HP thought the problem might be caused by a fix that was placed in ECO2 to stop the 'ftp bounce attack' but this proved not to be the case. I think it may also be something to do with the ftp code in the software as i am unable to reproduce the problem with any other type of ftp client. It is the client that is sending the TCP reset to the OpenVMS system and this appears to be causing the connection to be terminated and the data to be flushed before the file has been populated.

Could the problem be caused by some sort of TCP timeout on the client?

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello Steve,

are you sure about the firewall? If this is not all inside your organisation the other end might have put one up that you are not necessarily aware off.

What happens if you switch FTP to passive mode?

Greetings, Martin

[Victor Mendham]

I saw a similar thread on the process.com newsgroup and it was suggested that you must ensure the file you are trying to transfer is not being used by another process etc, in others words open. Make the file is closed.

I guess you could do a sho dev/files and see if anything has it open..

We run OpenVMS 7.3-1 with tcpip 5.3 and the same eco as you , but we have not experienced this issue.

Vic...

[Victor Mendham]

I saw a similar thread on the process.com newsgroup and it was suggested that you must ensure the file you are trying to transfer is not being used by another process etc, in others words open. Make sure the file is closed.

I guess you could do a sho dev/files and see if anything has it open..

We run OpenVMS 7.3-1 with tcpip 5.3 and the same eco as you , but we have not experienced this issue.

Vic...