FTP configuration statements in FTP.DATA

The FTP.DATA configuration data set is optional. The FTP daemon searches for this data set during initialization.

The FTP server search order is:

  1. A data set specified by the //SYSFTPD DD statement
  2. ftpserve_job_name.FTP.DATA
  3. /etc/ftp.data
  4. SYS1.TCPPARMS(FTPDATA)
  5. hlq.FTP.DATA data set
As shown in Table 1, the FTP client uses one of the following search orders to obtain the local site parameter values:
Table 1. FTP client search orders
TSO shell UNIX System Services shell
  1. -f
  2. SYSFTPD DD statement
  3. tso_prefix.FTP.DATA
  4. userid.FTP.DATA
  5. /etc/ftp.data
  6. SYS1.TCPPARMS(FTPDATA) data set
  7. tcpip_hlq.FTP.DATA file
  1. -f
  2. $HOME/ftp.data
  3. userid.FTP.DATA
  4. /etc/ftp.data
  5. SYS1.TCPPARMS(FTPDATA) data set
  6. tcpip_hlq.FTP.DATA file

If you use an MVS™ data set, this data set should have a logical record length of 80 and a block size that is a multiple of 80. If a UNIX file (such as /etc/ftp.data) is the configuration input, ensure that there are no trailing blanks on the configuration statements, because some specifications might be rejected if trailing blanks are present.

FTP parameters have default values, and you can change these defaults using statements in the FTP.DATA configuration data set. It is not necessary to include all statements in the FTP.DATA data set.

Guideline: Only include the statements if the default value is not what you want, because the default is used for any statement not included in the FTP.DATA data set.

The following names are shipped samples of the FTP.DATA data sets:
  • SEZAINST(FTPSDATA) for the server
  • SEZAINST(FTCDATA) for the client

The FTP client and server read FTP.DATA once at initialization. Therefore, any changes you make to FTP.DATA are not applied until the next time you start the FTP client and server.

Some FTP server parameters can be changed during an FTP session by issuing the SITE command from the FTP client. Likewise, FTP client parameters can be changed during an FTP session by issuing the subcommand from the FTP client. See the z/OS Communications Server: IP User's Guide and Commands for more information about the SITE command and the locsite subcommand.

Data set attributes play a significant role in FTP performance.

Guidelines: If your environment permits, tune both BLKSIZE and LRECL according to the following guidelines:
  • Use a value at or slightly below half of a DASD track as the block size. The half-track threshold for IBM® 3380 DASD is 23 476 and for IBM 3390 DASD is 27 998.
  • Use FB as the data set allocation format.
  • Use cached DASD controllers.
  • If your environment permits, use a preallocated data set for FTP transfer operations into MVS.