Network problems and ftp server incompatibilities sometimes interfere with clean operation of datapipes that terminate at those institutions with SeaNet-carrying ships. To help with this, the SeaNet project has established a machine at WHOI that houses ftp staging accounts. These accounts are meant to be used as temporary placeholders for files intended for or coming from that institution's ship.

The staging accounts are set up like a normal unix-based user account on host nic2b.seanet.int (128.128.250.51). Each account has a unique name and password. Each usually has subdirectories that are the shoreside termination points for SeaNet datapipes. These subdirectories separate files intended for the ship from those files that come from the ship.

Place files meant for a ship in the correct subdirectory (example: to-ship) using an ftp client program. Use that same ftp client software to retrieve files coming from a ship from the correct directory (example: from-ship). The datapipe mechanism will delete files destined for a ship. Users are required to delete files that come from a ship once the files are copied from the staging account.

Setup of these staging accounts and corresponding datapipes requires the following steps. First, obtain or create information (hostname, account name, password, and subdirectory) for the shipside termination points of the datapipes. Recall that datapipes are unidirectional and must terminate in a unique directory. Also recall that the shipside host must be running an ftp server. Next, contact seanet-ops@seanet.int (508-289-3700) to request establishment of the shoreside ftp staging account. We'll also coordinate the setup of the datapipes with a technician aboard the ship. The usual accounting rules and costs that your institution applies to datapipes will apply to your use of this mechanism.

SJM 7/3/2001