How would one convert from FTP to SFTP in a Perl script?

Question

I have an existing Perl script that uses the FTP object to send a couple of files to an AIX box. I just discovered that our Linux box does not support FTP. It does support SFTP. What steps should I go through to convert my script to use SFTP?

Answer 1

Your current script is probably using the Net::FTP module. You'll need the Net::SFTP module and its dependencies from CPAN. You may just even start a new script using the existing one as a guide. The logic is the same, though. Connect, send, and disconnect.

Answer 2

I've actually done something similar. But it was to prepare any current FTP script to be run via SFTP when needed.

I made a wrapper object around Net::SFTP which looks and acts like a Net::FTP object. Therefore, all the calls could be left in places with a different implementation.

I went from this:

my $client = Net::FTP->new( Host => 'ftp.somehost.com', ... );

to

my $client = FTPClient->new( Host => 'ftp.somehost.com', ...
                           , secureFTP => 1 
                           ); 

And just implemented all the methods I was using from Net::FTP in my new class. Net::SFTP gives back some different returns, so you have to actually wrap function instead of just using something like Class::Delegator.