Understanding vsftpd Server in Linux RHEL 8

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an essential network protocol used to transfer files from one system to another over a network. In Linux, the most popular FTP server is the Very Secure FTP Daemon (vsftpd). It is a lightweight, stable, and secure FTP server that comes pre-installed in many Linux distributions, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8.

In this article, we will explore the vsftpd server, its features, installation, configuration, and usage in Linux RHEL 8.

Installation of vsftpd server

To install vsftpd server in RHEL 8, open a terminal window and enter the following command:

sudo yum install vsftpd

This command will install the vsftpd package along with its dependencies.

Configuration of vsftpd server

Once the installation is complete, we need to configure the vsftpd server to make it operational. The configuration file for vsftpd is located in /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf. Open this file in a text editor with administrative privileges and make the following changes:

anonymous_enable=NO
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
chroot_local_user=YES

These changes will disable anonymous login, enable local user login, allow file write permissions, and chroot the local user to their home directory.

Starting and enabling vsftpd service

To start the vsftpd service, use the following command:

sudo systemctl start vsftpd

To enable the vsftpd service to start automatically at system boot, use the following command:

sudo systemctl enable vsftpd

Testing the vsftpd server

To test the vsftpd server, we can use a FTP client such as FileZilla. Open FileZilla, enter the server IP address, username, and password. If the vsftpd server is running correctly, you should be able to connect to it and transfer files.

More examples

Here are some additional commands and configurations that you can use with vsftpd server:

• To allow passive FTP connections, add the following lines to the vsftpd.conf file:

pasv_enable=YES
pasv_min_port=1024
pasv_max_port=1048

• To configure vsftpd to use SSL/TLS encryption, add the following lines to the vsftpd.conf file:

ssl_enable=YES
rsa_cert_file=/etc/pki/tls/certs/vsftpd.pem
rsa_private_key_file=/etc/pki/tls/private/vsftpd.pem
ssl_tlsv1=YES
ssl_sslv2=NO
ssl_sslv3=NO

• To limit the number of connections per user, add the following line to the vsftpd.conf file:

max_per_ip=2

• To allow users to access files outside their home directory, add the following line to the vsftpd.conf file:

allow_writeable_chroot=YES

So, the vsftpd server is a powerful and secure FTP server that can be easily installed, configured, and used in Linux RHEL 8. By following the above steps and configurations, you can set up a reliable file transfer service for your network. If you encounter any issues or errors, refer to the official documentation or seek help from the Linux community.

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That's it for this post. Keep practicing and have fun. Leave your comments if any.