You can use an external database to hold all of the authentication information and properties for your users (with the exception of SSH user keys).
You must configure the ODBC user database before users can authenticate using this user database.
Before you can configure an ODBC user database, you must establish an ODBC system data source name through the Data Sources tool (found in the Windows Control Panel).
To configure an ODBC user database:
From the top menu, select Host > Host Details. The Host Details page opens.
Next to User database, click Configure. The User Database Configuration page opens.
Set the appropriate options.
Plug-in name. This is the name of the user plug-in. This is provided as information only and cannot be edited.
Plug-in location. This is the location of the DLL file for the user plug-in. This is provided as information only and cannot be edited.
Plug-in description. This is a description of the plug-in that describes its function. This is provided as information only and cannot be edited.
ODBC User DLL. Enter the full path to where the file obdcuser.dll was installed on the server. This is not the same as the ftpauthodbc.dll file listed in Plug-in location.
ODBC DSN. Enter the source name created in the ODBC Source Administration tool described above.
Table name. Enter the name of the database table that contains the correct fields. If you are using a Microsoft Access table with spaces in the name, you must enclose the table name in hard brackets; for example, [Table Name].
User ID and Password. If the database you are using requires authentication, enter a valid username and password.
Click Save.
Note: If you are configuring an external database that uses Windows credentials for authentication, such as Microsoft SQL Server, you must enter the credentials in the host impersonation fields on the Host Details page even if the credentials are already specified in the DSN and on the User Database Configuration page.
From the top menu, select Host > Host Details. The Host Details page opens.
This page allows you to modify settings for the current host.
Host name. Enter the name of this host. The host name should be a fully qualified domain name (in the form hostname.domain.top). The host name can be up to 256 characters. Only alphanumeric characters, hyphens and periods are allowed.
Make sure your host has a valid Internet host name and IP address and make sure the host has an entry on your Domain Name Server (DNS). If you use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for connection to the Internet, your host must have an entry in the ISP’s DNS.
Top folder. Enter, or browse to select, the full physical path to the top folder for this host. This folder will act as the root folder for all users logging on to this host. Users’ folder will be under the root or under a /users/ folder under the root. The full path to the top folder can be up to 512 characters, and can contain any characters except the following: \ / : * ? " < > |
You can use a network share anywhere that you specify a physical folder on the server. To do this, you must enter the UNC path to the shared folder. You must also specify an Impersonation account that allows the WS_FTP Server to access the UNC path. The Impersonation Settings are configured on the same page (Host Details page) as the Top folder. If using Microsoft IIS, you must also give permissions to the shared folder to the Windows user account under which your web server's WSFTPSVR folder is running. If that user cannot access the shared folder through the Windows explorer, you cannot access the folder via the WS_FTP Server Manager.
Hide special files (selected by default). If selected, files and folders whose names begin with a dollar sign character ($) are hidden from users. For example, a file named $banner.txt or a folder named $Marketing would both be hidden from users.
Use local time. By default, the server displays directory listings in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). To use the server's local time instead, select this option.
Most FTP clients expect the time to be in GMT.
Enable extended FTP commands (selected by default). If selected, the server accepts and responds to extended commands issued by the client. If cleared, the server responds with an 'unknown command' error when issued an extended command. Extended commands include: FEAT, HOST, LANG, MDTM, MLST, OPTS, XAUT, AUTH SSL and AUTH TLS.
Lock uploads. If selected, files that are being uploaded are locked to prevent other users from downloading incomplete files. Once the file is completely uploaded, it is unlocked.
Allow third party transfers. If selected, users can initiate transfers between this host and another host that also allows third-party transfers.
User Settings
Use these settings to configure the database used to authenticate users and the behavior of the server when users log in.
User database. If you have system administrator privileges, the type of user database that is used by this host for user authentication is listed here. If the button is available, you can click Configure to set specific options for the selected user database type.
Login location. Select the folder that should be displayed to users after successfully logging in.
Home folder. Users are shown their home folder after successfully logging in.
Root folder. Users are shown the root folder after successfully logging in.
Home folder. Enter the path of the user's home folder.
Auto-create users' home folders (selected by default). If selected, user folders are automatically created when a new user is added to this host.
<Caution> If Auto-create user folders is cleared, users will be connected to the root directory even if Login location is set to Home folder. Administrators must manually create a home folder for the user before they will be able to log in to it. If the users are logged in to the root directory because they have no home folder, and the user is locked to his home folder, the user will not be able to see or do anything once logged on.
List all folders in /users folder. If selected, all users can view all folders in the /users folder. If cleared, all folders except the user's home folder are hidden.
System and host administrators can always see all folders in the /users folder.
Grant full home folder permissions when creating user(selected by default). When selected, new users are granted full permissions to their user home folders when they are created.
Max number of connections (1000 by default). Enter the total number of users who can be logged in at any given time. This includes both anonymous and authenticated users.
Allow anonymous access. If selected, anonymous users can access the host. If cleared, users must authenticate with valid credentials before they can gain access to the host.
Max number of anonymous connections (200 by default). Enter the total number of anonymous users per server who can be logged in at any given time. "Per server" here means that each different server--FTP and SSH--can have this number of connections. (For instance, if you have both FTP and SSH server installed, and this number is set to 200, it will be possible to have 400 anonymous connections, provided that the Max number of connections is 400 or greater.)
Account cleanup. Enter the number of days after which you want to delete expired user accounts. User account expiration settings are set at the user-level.
Password Settings
Use these settings to configure security policies for passwords.
Number of passwords to track for each user. Enter the number of expired passwords to remember. If users are forced to change their passwords, they will not be allowed to use any of their former passwords that are remembered.
Number of special characters required. Enter the number of non-alphanumeric characters that users are required to have in their passwords.
Number of numeric characters required. Enter the number of numeric characters that users are required to have in their passwords.
Minimum number of characters required (4 by default). Enter the minimum number of characters that users are required to have in their passwords.
Encrypt passwords stored on server (selected by default). Select this option to encrypt all user passwords stored on the server. If you are using an external database for user authentication that is accessed by other applications, you may need to clear this option.
<CAUTION> Encrypted passwords stored on server cannot be changed after a host is created.
Impersonation Settings
Use these settings to specify a Windows user account that the server uses to request access to folders used by this host. This includes local system folders and network folders specified with a UNC name.
This option may also be used to specify an account to use to access a Windows domain or an Active Directory user database.
Domain. Enter the name of the domain on which the user exists.
User name. Enter the user name to use when requesting access to folders used by this host.
Password. Enter the password to use when requesting access to folders used by this host.
Related Information
Listeners associated with this host. Select this option to view a list of listeners that clients can use to access this host.
Note: These settings are cached by WS_FTP Server for up to ninety seconds. Changes made to these settings are not recognized until the services are restarted or the cache expires.
Host Details page even if the credentials are already specified in the DSN and on the User Database Configuration page.
Make sure your host has a valid Internet host name and IP address and make sure the host has an entry on your Domain Name Server (DNS). If you use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for connection to the Internet, your host must have an entry in the ISP’s DNS.
Most FTP clients expect the time to be in GMT.