Release Notes for WS_FTP™ Server 7.7, WS_FTP Server 7.7 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.7 Corporate

In this File

Installing and Configuring the Ad Hoc Transfer Module

System Requirement for Ad Hoc Transfer Module

New install program: We have released an updated install program for the Ad Hoc Transfer Module to be compatible with the WS_FTP Server 7.6.2.1 patch release. If you are doing a new installation of the module, you need to use version 7.6.2.1 or later of the install program.

Requirements for Ad Hoc Transfer Module

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

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:

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

For installation requirements, see Installing the Ad Hoc Transfer Plug-in for Outlook.

Requirements for the Ad Hoc Transfer Module on Windows Server 2008 or 2012

The WS_FTP installer automatically activates certain components in your Windows Server 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

Application Development

Health and Diagnostics

Security

Performance

Management Tools

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

.Net Framework 3.0 Features

Remote Server Administration Tools

Windows Process Activation Service

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

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

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.

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 7.7, WS_FTP Server 7.7 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.7 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:

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 7.7, WS_FTP Server 7.7 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.7 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 7.7, WS_FTP Server 7.7 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.7 Corporate Manager, check Ad Hoc Transfer Settings.
  3. In WS_FTP™ Server 7.7, WS_FTP Server 7.7 with SSH, and WS_FTP Server 7.7 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 "Silent Install for the Ad Hoc Transfer Plug-in for Outlook" in this 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:
      32-bit: C:\Program Files\Ipswitch\Ad Hoc Transfer\AHT\web.config
      64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\Ipswitch\Ad Hoc Transfer\AHT\web.config
      ... and check the entry 'AHTDownloadURL_Machinename'.
    • For the Outlook plugin, open the file:
      32-bit: C:\Program Files\Ipswitch\Ad Hoc Transfer\XFTWebService\web.config
      64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\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.

Release Notes for Ad Hoc Transfer Module

We have issued a maintenance release of Ad Hoc Transfer Module and the Ad Hoc Transfer Plug-in for Outlook that provides the following enhancements and bug fixes:

To upgrade to this release, you need to install:

Your WS_FTP Server version (v 7.6) does not need to be updated.

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.


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