Installing and Configuring the Ad Hoc Transfer Module

System Requirements for Ad Hoc Transfer Module

Requirements for Ad Hoc Transfer Module

Before installing Ad Hoc Transfer Module, you need the following:

• WS_FTP Server, WS_FTP Server with SSH, or WS_FTP Server Corporate, v7.5 or later
• Microsoft® .NET 3.0 Framework

  To install Microsoft .NET 3.0, you need to have Windows® Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 or later, or Windows Server 2008.

• Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1, 6.0, or 7.0.

The pre-installation checklist in the section, "Installing Ad Hoc Transfer Module," describes how to configure the requirements.

Requirements for the Ad Hoc Transfer Module web interface (browser) end user

The end user can use any computer with an operating system that can support the following:

• Broadband connection to the Internet (recommended)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later on Windows, Mac, and Unix, Safari (Apple) browser (or other Web browser that is CSS2 and HTML 4.01 compliant)
• Enabled Javascript support and Cookie support in the Web browser

Requirements for the Ad Hoc Transfer Plug-in for Outlook end user

• Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or 2007 (only 32-bit version is available)
• Microsoft Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 (32 and 64-bit), Windows 2003, Windows 2008
• Recipients process files with supported browsers for parent Ad Hoc Transfer server
• No 3rd party components and no .NET required on client desktop

Requirements for the Ad Hoc Transfer Module on Windows 2008 Server

The WS_FTP installer automatically activates certain components in your Windows 2008 installation (in addition to the ones activated by a normal Server install. Before installing WS_FTP Server, you should be sure that these changes conform to your organization's security policies.

The following list shows features activated by the Ad Hoc Transfer Module install under the IIS7 role. Features shown as indented indicate a nested relationship with the non-indented feature above it.

Common HTTP Features

• Static Content
• Default Document
• Directory Browsing
• HTTP Errors

Application Development

• ASP.NET
• .Net Extensibility
• ISAPI Extensions
• ISAPI Filter

Health and Diagnostics

• HTTP Logging
• Request Monitor

Security

• Request Filtering

Performance

• Static Content Compression

Management Tools

• IIS Management Console

The following list shows the 2008 stand-alone features activated during WS_FTP Server install:

.Net Framework 3.0 Features

• .Net Framework 3.0
• XPS-Viewer
• WCF Activation (HTTP Activation, Non-HTTP Activation)

Remote Server Administration Tools

• Role Administration Tools (Web Server (IIS) Tools)

Windows Process Activation Service

• Process Model
• .Net Environment
• Configuration APIs

Additionally, the Web Transfer Module install process does the following:

• Runs servicemodelreg to install the WCF service model.
• Places the Web Transfer Module and the underlying web service in classic mode application pools.

Also, if HTTPS is not enabled on the site hosting the Web Transfer Module, the install will:

• Create a self-signed certification for the machine hostname
• Grant permissions to EVERYONE to read the folder where the certifications live
• Create an HTTPS binding on the website hosting the Web Transfer Module (if applicable)
• Attache the certificate to the HTTPS binding

Installing the Ad Hoc Transfer Module

If you choose to install Ad Hoc Transfer Module, it should be installed on the same computer as WS_FTP Server. This section provides a pre-installation checklist and install procedure for installing Ad Hoc Transfer Module.

Pre-installation checklist for installing Ad Hoc Transfer Module

Ad Hoc Transfer Module installs an IIS web application to communicate with the WS_FTP Server database and Ad Hoc file system. Before you run the Ad Hoc Transfer Module installation, you need to install the prerequisite software and configure the WS_FTP Server computer.

• WS_FTP Server, WS_FTP Server with SSH, or WS_FTP Server Corporate, v7.5 or later.

  For the installation requirements and procedure, see WS_FTP Server Release Notes.

• Make sure Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 is installed.

  You can download and install .NET Framework 3.0 from the Microsoft Download Center.

• Make sure Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1, 6.0, or 7.0 is installed.

  You need the Windows OS disk to install IIS. Go to Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs, then select Add/Remove Windows Components. Select Internet Information Services (or Application Services on Windows 2003), then follow the on-screen instructions.

• On Windows 2008 Server, you must be logged on as the 'Administrator' user (it is not sufficient to simply be part of the 'Administrators' group).
• The Ad Hoc Transfer Module needs access to the Package Storage root folder on your FTP host or hosts so it can store package files and make them available for download. During the Ad Hoc Transfer Module installation, you will need to specify a Windows user account with permissions to the Package Storage folder of each
• For the Ad Hoc Transfer Module to be available to recipients outside your internal network, it will need to be installed in the DMZ and configured with the appropriate DNS settings.

To install Ad Hoc Transfer Module:

1. If you received an installation CD, insert it into a drive. If the Welcome screen does not appear, select Start > Run, and enter the drive path followed by launch.exe.

   Example: D:\launch.exe

   - OR -

   If you downloaded the software from our Web site, double-click the executable (.exe) file to begin the installation.

2. On the Pre-installation Checklist screen, read the checklist items. Make sure you have set up the required configuration. Select "I have completed the Pre-installation checklist," then click Next.
3. On the installation Welcome screen, click Next to continue. The License Agreement dialog appears.

   Read the license agreement. If you agree with its terms, select "I accept the terms of the license agreement," and click Next.WS_FTP Server host (for each host for which you will enable Ad Hoc Transfer Module). We recommend you create a Windows user account for use by the Ad Hoc Transfer Module.

   Next, the Destination Folder dialog opens.

4. Click Next to install to the specified folder. If you want to install to a different folder, click Change, then browse to the destination folder, or create a new folder, then click OK. You will be returned to the Destination Folder dialog. Click Next.
5. Specify the folder where Ad Hoc Transfer packages (user uploaded files) will be stored. The default folder is "\Ipswitch Ad Hoc Transfer Packages" on the drive where Windows is installed (usually C:).

   Next, the Impersonation Account for Web Transfer Module screen opens.

6. Enter a Windows account that has full access to the Package Storage folder of the WS_FTP Server host.

   The Ad Hoc Transfer Module needs a Windows account to use for access to the Package Storage folder.

   On the WS_FTP Server computer, you should have created a Windows account that has full access to the Package Storage folder of the WS_FTP Server host, as described in the pre-installation steps. Use that account username and password here.

   Domain or Server. Enter either the valid Windows domain name of the WS_FTP Server computer, or the Windows computer name.

   User name. Enter the applicable user name for the Windows account.

   Password. Enter the password for the account.

   This account username and password will also appear in the WS_FTP Server Manager, under Home > Modules > Ad Hoc Transfer Access Settings. If necessary, you can modify this account after completing the installation.

7. Enter the settings for the mail server that will be used to send Ad Hoc Transfer packages and notifications.
   • Mail Server. The address of the mail server to which Ad Hoc Transfer Module will connect to send emails to package recipients, and to send notifications.
   • Port. Optionally, specify the port that the mail server uses. The default is port 25.
   • User name. Optionally, specify a user to connect to your mail server. This is typically not needed.
   • Password. Optionally, specify the password for the mail user. This is typically not needed.
8. Choose the appropriate IIS web site for your application. Choose the default web site, unless you have created a dedicated web site for this server, then click Next.

   The installation program also configures the Ad Hoc Transfer web application to accept SSL connections on port 443. A self-signed certificate is installed. This allows your users to use HTTPS for secure transfers.

9. Click Install. The Install Wizard completes the installation. The Setup Wizard Completed dialog opens.
10. Read the notes related to post-installation steps, then click Finish.

    You need to enable web access for users that will use the Ad Hoc Transfer Client, and provide them the web address to log on, as described in the section, "Configuring Ad Hoc Transfer Module."

You need to refresh your WS_FTP Server 7.5, WS_FTP Server 7.5 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.5 Corporate license. To refresh, from the Start menu, select Program Files > Ipswitch WS_FTP Server > Activate or Refresh WS_FTP Server License.

Configuring the Ad Hoc Transfer Module

There are two ways that an end user can send files via Ad Hoc Transfer:

• Using their browser to connect to the Ad Hoc Transfer web address
• Using Microsoft Outlook, which requires that the end user install a plug-in for Outlook

For browser access, Ad Hoc Transfer Module does not require installation on a user's computer. Your WS_FTP Server users can access the files in their accounts using any browser, and the address (URL) that you provide them.

Before a user can access the Ad Hoc Transfer Module, whether they use a browser or Outlook, you must make the following changes:

1. In WS_FTP Server 7.5, WS_FTP Server 7.5 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.5 Corporate Manager, from your existing set of WS_FTP Server users, add users to the Ad Hoc Transfer Access list.
   1. Log in to the WS_FTP Server Manager, and select Home > Modules. The Modules page opens.
   2. Select Ad Hoc Transfer Access.

      The Ad Hoc Transfer Access page shows all eligible users. These users can be from any of your WS_FTP Server hosts.

   3. Add any users to whom you want to provide Ad Hoc Transfer access.
2. In WS_FTP Server 7.5, WS_FTP Server 7.5 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.5 Corporate Manager, check Ad Hoc Transfer Settings.
3. In WS_FTP Server 7.5, WS_FTP Server 7.5 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.5 Corporate Manager, check Ad Hoc Transfer Transaction Settings.
4. For browser users, provide them the address (URL) to log on to Ad Hoc Transfer.

   By default, the address is: http://<local_machine>:80/AHT

   where <local_machine> is the domain name of the computer on which you installed the Web Transfer Client. If you specified a custom port (other than the default port 80) during install, you need to include the port in the address.

   For example, if the local computer domain name is host1.wsftp.com, then the address your users need to log on to Ad Hoc Transfer is:

   http://host1.wsftp.com:80/AHT

   You should test this address before sending it out to users.

   You can also launch the Ad Hoc Transfer Module from the WS_FTP Server program group (Programs > Ipswitch WS_FTP Server > WS_FTP Server Ad Hoc Transfer Client.)

   If you add a user to the default host (specified in Server > Server Settings > System Details), the user will log onto the Add Hoc Transfer Client using their WS_FTP server user name and password. If you add a user to a host that is not the default host, the user must log onto the Ad Hoc Transfer Client using the host name, host separator, and username and password; for example: user2@host2.domain.com

5. For Outlook users, you need to provide them with the installation file or run the silent install on each end user computer. You can download the installation file from your MyIpswitch account.

   For installation instructions, see "Installing the Ad Hoc Transfer Plug-in for Outlook" and also "Appendix B: Silent Install for Ad Hoc Transfer Plug-in for Outlook" in the WS_FTP Server Installation and Configuration Guide.

6. Make sure that package recipients can connect to the host where the Ad Hoc Transfer Module is installed, so that they can connect to the Download Files page. Recipients must be able to connect, possibly from outside your network, to the URL defined in the following web.config files.
   • For the Ad Hoc Transfer web interface, open the file:
     \Program Files\Ipswitch\Ad Hoc Transfer\AHT\web.config
     and check the entry 'AHTDownloadURL_Machinename'.
   • For the Outlook plugin, open the file:
     Program Files\Ipswitch\Ad Hoc Transfer\XFTWebService\web.config
     and then check the entry 'AHTDownloadURL_Machinename'.

Secure Transfer via HTTPS

For secure transfer, the Ad Hoc Transfer Module is installed with SSL capability, which runs on port 443. The installation creates an SSL certificate which is used when the user connects via HTTPS. You can enable secure transfer by changing the address used to log on to the Ad Hoc Transfer Module to use HTTPS, for example: https://host1.wsftp.com:443/AHT

If you specified a custom port (other than the default port 443) during install, you need to include the port in the address.

Uninstalling the Ad Hoc Transfer Module

1. In the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Programs.
2. Select Ipswitch WS_FTP Server Ad Hoc Transfer Module 7.5.

Release Notes for Ad Hoc Transfer Module

• Internet Explorer Security Settings can affect Download counts for Ad Hoc Transfer

  When setting the values for maximum or default downloads per file, be aware that browser security settings can influence the download count. For example, if the Internet Explorer security setting Automatic prompting for file downloads is not enabled, when the recipient clicks on the web link to access files, and selects to download a file, Internet Explorer will pop up the following message and it will add 1 to the download count:

  'To help protect your security, IE blocked this site from downloading files to your computer. Click here for options.'

  For this reason, we recommend that you are generous when setting these values, and that you do not set these values to 1.

  The same is true if you have multiple end users downloading a file. If the Internet Explorer security setting Automatic prompting for file downloads is not enabled, the download limit should be set to double the number of users who are intended to download the file.

  Also, note that download counts shown in the package detail page and in log files will be affected.

• When using Outlook to send an Ad Hoc Transfer, when you have started composing an email in Outlook and you click on the X to close the new message screen, Outlook asks you if want to save your changes. At this point, you can click Cancel and it will bring you back into the message you were writing. The Send Secure button may no longer appear on the screen, or it may be inactive. To work around this problem, close the new message screen, and start again.
• In Windows Explorer, you can right click a file, select Send to > Mail Recipient, which opens the Outlook compose screen with the file attached. Ad Hoc Transfer does not support this functionality, so you will not see the Send Secure button.