TFTP Server
Current Version: 3.3.1 (September 10, 2009)
TFTP Server is a simple, free utility that helps you to use and configure the TFTP server shipped with the standard Mac OS X distribution. TFTP is a simple protocol used to transfer files, and therefore was named the Trivial File Transfer Protocol, or TFTP. The only thing it can do is read and write files from/to a remote server. It cannot list directories content or change the working directory, and currently has no provisions for user authentication, so a TFTP server must have set a dedicated working directory from which send and receive files.
With this application, you can easily start/stop the TFTP server and change the path where the files are sent and received from TFTP clients (e.g. Cisco routers and switches) which connect to your Mac acting as TFTP server. This is useful if you have a lot of network devices and want to store in a safe place all their configuration text files and operating system binary images. These files can also be reused later (as is or modified using a text editor on your Mac) to easily configure from scratch or update other similar devices.
While there is no information regarding what's new in version 3.3.1 (presumably, it's a Snow Leopard compatibility update, as it's the first new release in exactly two years), version 3.1 added/changed the following:
- Universal binary.
User Reviews
"It provides a nice checks and balances for the FTP services that come with the OS. I found its ability to verify services status as well as its file path very helpful. I would recommend this for anyone who wants to run a scan-to-FTP function in a Mac networked enviroment. It will also show transaction status with FTP services!! Yeah!"
—C. Street
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the Mac OS X (Cocoa / Universal) version.Also See . . .
Can't find what you're looking for? Try a search:
Also, if you have an older Mac, be sure to check out the "Classic" applications page for more options.
Finally, take a look at ALEMIA if you think you know that name of an application, but aren't quite sure.
Built Into Mac OS X
Mac OS X has a huge amount of TCP/IP-based server software built into it that I don't specifically cover here. Your "Sharing" Preference Pane allows you to enable and disable these services with a click of the mouse. The software running behind the scenes to provide many of these services is generally of the open source variety. The standard release of Mac OS X includes, among many others:
- Apache httpd (web server; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane).
- Postfix (mail server; see Mac OS X Hints for more information).
- tnftpd (FTP server; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane).
- OpenSSH (Secure Shell server; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane via "Remote Login" but additionally configurable via selected applications listed on this page).
- BIND (Domain Name System server; see Mac OS X Hints for more information).
- Samba (Windows file sharing; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane).
- XFree86 (X Window server; enabled via the "X11" application in your "Utilities" folder, if you elected to install it with Mac OS X).
Of course, Mac OS X Server includes many more, in addition to offering more recent versions of many of the above servers.
Related Links
Graham Orndorff has written a superb collection of articles on setting up email servers and secure email clients on Mac OS X.
Also Consider . . .
These are applications that are newer and of potential interest, but which I haven't yet selected for permanent inclusion. Have a look, and let me know if you think they deserve to be part of the permanent collection!