is the Internet service used to transfer a data file from the disk of one computer to the disk of another, regardless of the operating system type.
Similar to other Internet applications, uses the client-server approach — a user invokes an program on the computer, instructs it to contact a remote computer, and then requests the transfer of one or more files. The local program becomes a client that uses TCP to contact an server program on the remote computer. Each time the user requests a file transfer, the client and the server programs cooperate to send a copy of the data across the Internet.
servers which allow anonymous permit any user, not only users with accounts on the host, to browse the ftp archives and download files. Some servers are configured to allow users to upload files.
is commonly used to retrieve information and obtain software stored in files at archive sites throughout the world.
Source: Paraphrased from http://tlc.nlm.nih.gov/resources/tutorials/internetdistlrn/ftpdef.htm
See the manual: ftp.