WS_FTP Professional 2007 from Ipswitch is a sophisticated FTP client aimed at power users who rely heavily on the File Transfer Protocol.

As a means of communication for sending and receiving files, FTP is still quite popular despite the advent of the peer-to-peer model.

People continue to publish files to websites via FTP and use it when they need reliable remote access to files. Furthermore, FTP can be a more flexible and robust protocol than HTTP.

WS_FTP Professional 2007 is very straightforward to use with a clean interface consisting of large icons and customisable toolbars. Basic FTP connections can be configured quite simply, yet the program’s more complex operations can also be accessed easily.

In an effort to promote its ease of use, Ipswitch has produced a number of online video tutorials that show novice users how to get up and running with WS_FTP Professional 2007.

A number of things distinguish it from the range of free FTP programs available (including the limited implementation built into Windows) and enhanced backup options feature heavily in the 2007 edition.

A backup scheduler allows you to set up automatic file transfers. These files can be uploaded to remote servers for safe storage or retrieved from them to be backed up on local hard disks, USB drives and DVDs.

You can also configure WS_FTP Professional 2007 to zip files prior to transfer, thus reducing bandwidth and transfer time. Further savings are possible when it’s set to transfer only new or changed files.

To ensure that a file transfer has completed satisfactorily a number of integrity tests can be run to verify that retrieved files matches their checksums.

Security of files as they’re being transferred is essential for many users of FTP. To address this concern WS_FTP Professional 2007 provides the option to use OpenPGP encryption and extends beyond regular FTP to support other protocols such as SFTP and FTP using SSL certificates.

Other features such as integration with third-party desktop search tools, the option to display thumbnails of remote image directories and email notification of file transfer status combine to create a support structure around the FTP protocol to make using it an enjoyable experience.

However, casual users may never use this program to its full potential and would perhaps be better served with one of the hundreds of free FTP programs available online.

Related reviews:
Channel Advisor Pro utility software
Become a big-time Ebayer with the help of this semi-professional software package