Unattended file transfer - ectrans
The ectrans command allows you to transfer files securely between ECMWF and remote sites. Like the UNIX "rcp" command, ectrans requires no password to be specified for the remote host: the ECaccess gateway performs the security checking. Unlike standard FTP, ectrans is suitable for unattended file transfers in scripts, cron jobs, etc., as it avoids the problems inherent in storing passwords in text files and sending passwords across networks. Even if you don't have a local gateway installed, you can benefit from the ectrans command by using the ECMWF ECaccess gateway. Please note that in this case the transfer is not as secured as when a Member State ECaccess gateway is used.
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Target location
Users who wish to transfer files between ECMWF and Member State servers using ectrans need to declare one or more ectrans associations for the storage/retrieval of the remote file. This can be done either through the Web Toolkit command ecaccess-association-put (see section 5.8) or through the ECaccess Web interface of the target gateway (see section 7.4). For every association (previously known as "msuser"), the hostname, login username and password, target path and transfer protocol need to be specified. Target directories can be located on:
- Member State servers running a standard FTP/SFTP service accessible from the ECaccess gateway. This is known as a "genericFtp"/"genericSftp" protocol and is the most convenient way of getting the files to the system you want, under the specified user ID.
- The server running the ECaccess gateway. This is known as a "genericFile" protocol. All users will share in a common directory the files transferred using this protocol.
- Member State servers running a proprietary application. The administrator provides ectrans with the implementation of the access protocol. The administrator can also use more complex rules to define special target locations for ECMWF users, Member State users or groups of Member State users.
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ectrans command
With the ectrans command, Member State users can initiate secure file transfers between ECMWF (ecgate or HPCF systems) and a Member State server, as defined in the ectrans association. When ectrans is used to put a file (from ECMWF to a remote server), the ECaccess Server will spool the file in the user's "ectrans" transfer queue. If the connection between the ECMWF and the remote gateway is down or if any error occurs, the file will be kept in the spool area at ECMWF and you can resume the transfer either through the web interface or with the Web Toolkit command ecaccess-ectrans-restart. When ectrans is used to get a file (from a remote server to ECMWF) the transfer will fail by default, if the connection between the ECMWF and the remote gateway is down. A retry mechanism is available for all types of transfers. To show the ectrans usage:
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| Status | Meaning |
| INIT | Files are being transferred to the spool |
| COPY | Files are being transferred to the remote site |
| WAIT | Files are scheduled and waiting to be started |
| RETR | File transfer will be retried |
| STOP | Files have NOT been successfully transferred (error) |
| DONE | Files have been successfully transferred |
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Transfer to a Member State host via gateway
To transfer file "fff" from the current working directory on "ecgate" to the "genericFtp" protocol of the use "myUser" on the ECaccess gateway "ecaccess.meteo.ms":
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When a request has been spooled successfully, a requestID is returned immediately. ectrans will then return the exit code 0. The requestID can be used to reference the transfer, using the interface described in section 8 or with the command ecaccess-ectrans-list. If the file is not successfully spooled, an error message is printed and the ectrans return code is -1.
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Transfer from a Member State host via gateway
To transfer file "fff" at the "genericFtp" protocol of the "myUser" association of the ECaccess gateway "ecaccess.meteo.ms" to the current directory at ECMWF:
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