SSHFS - Features

Features

SFTP provides secure file transfer and a secure remote file system. While SFTP clients may transfer files and directories, the related file system may not be mounted locally using SFTP alone. Using SSHFS, a locally mounted file system may be treated in the same way as other volumes (such as CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives and shared disks).

If the remote environment satisfies the requirements of the local application, then the end user may work with remote files and directories as if they are on a local volume.

Using the Unix command ls with sshfs will sometimes not list the owner of a file correctly, although it is possible to map them manually.

For greater security the system can be configured by the service administrator to run inside a chroot jail or in a FreeBSD jail, allowing the client to only see part of the file system.

For distributed remote file systems with multiple users, protocols such as Apple Filing Protocol, Network File System and Server Message Block are more often used. SSHFS is an alternative to those protocols only in situations where users are confident that files and directories will not be targeted for writing by another user, at the same time.

The advantage of SSHFS when compared to other network file system protocols is that, given that a user already has SSH access to a host, it does not require any additional configuration work, or the opening of additional entry ports in a firewall.