Configuring HTTP and HTTPS Fallback

Edit online

HTTP fallback serves as a secondary transfer method when the Internet connectivity required for Aspera FASP transfers (UDP port 33001, by default) is unavailable. When HTTP fallback is enabled and UDP connectivity is lost or cannot be established, the transfer will continue over the HTTP protocol. These instructions describe how to enable and configure HTTP/HTTPS fallback.

Prerequisites:

  • Configure your HSTS web UI. For additional information on configuring different modes and testing, see the Aspera KB Article "HTTP fallback configuration, testing and troubleshooting."
  • Your Aspera HTTP daemon (asperahttpd) is running with sufficient privileges so that it can modify file ownership.

Limitations:

  • Folders that are symbolic links cannot be downloaded directly by using HTTP fallback. Folders that are symbolic links are processed correctly when their parent folder is the source.
  • HTTP fallback can only follow symbolic links. Settings in aspera.conf or in the command line are ignored.
  • HTTP fallback attempts to transfer at the target rate but is limited by TCP.
  • HTTP fallback does not support pre-post processing or inline validation.

Process:

  1. Configure HTTP/HTTPS fallback settings.
    You can configure HTTP/HTTPS fallback from the HSTS GUI or by editing aspera.conf.

    Configuring HTTP/HTTPS fallback from the GUI:

    Launch the transfer server and go to Configuration > Global > HTTP Fallback.

    Configuring HTTP/HTTPS fallback by editing aspera.conf:

    Run the following commands:

    • To view the current HTTP settings in aspera.conf:
      $ /opt/aspera/bin/asuserdata -b -t

    To manually inspectaspera.conf, open it from the following directory:

    /opt/aspera/etc/aspera.conf

  2. After enabling HTTP fallback and setting a token encryption key, restart asperacentral, asperanoded, and asperahttpd.
    Run the following command in a Terminal window to restart asperacentral:
    # /etc/init.d/asperacentral restart
    Run the following commands to restart asperanoded:
    # /etc/init.d/asperanoded restart
    Run the following commands to restart asperahttpd:
    # /etc/init.d/asperahttpd restart