ISO FTAM: File Transfer Access and Management protocol

The File Transfer Access and Management protocol (FTAM), an ISO application protocol, offers file transfer services between client (initiator) and server (responder) systems in an open environment. FTAM also provides access to files and management of files on diverse systems. Similar to FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and NFS (Network File System) in the TCP/IP environment, FTAM is designed to help users access files on diverse systems that use compatible FTAM implementations.

In FTAM system, connection-oriented information about the user and the session is maintained by a server until the session is taken down. Files are transferred between systems by first establishing a connection-oriented session. The FTAM client contacts the FTAM server and requests a session. Once the session is established, file transfer can take place. FTAM uses the concept of a virtual filestore, which provides a common view of files. The FTAM file system hides the differences between different vendor systems. FTAM specifies document types as files with straight binary information or text files in which each line is terminated with a carriage return. Data is interpreted as records and FTAM provides the virtual filestore capabilities that store record-oriented structured files.

FTAM stores files according to record indices so that FTAM users can manipulate files down to the record level. In this respect, FTAM has some relational database features. For example, users can lock files or lock individual records.

FTAM provides the following service classes:

• The transfer service classallows the exchange of files or parts of files. These are generally the simple basic file transfer tasks, allowing single operations with a minimum number of interactions;

• The access service class allows the initiating system to perform several operations on individual FADUs or on the whole file;
• The management service class allows the user control over the virtual filestore in order to create or delete files, read and modify attributes etc.;
• The transfer-and-management service class combines the capabilities of the transfer service class with those of the limited file management functional unit to support directory navigation and simple functions. (See below for the functional units) 

Protocol Structure - ISO FTAM: File Transfer Access and Management protocol

• kernel functional unit
• read functional unit
• write functional unit
• file access functional unit
• limited file management functional unit
• enhanced file management functional unit
• grouping functional unit
• FADU locking functional unit
• recovery functional unit
• restart functional unit

FTAM has the following key user facilities to operate files locally and remotely:

• FTAM appending facility (APPEND/APPLICATION_PROTOCOL=FTAM) - enables user to append one or more input files to a single output file, within or between FTAM applications.
• FTAM copying facility (COPY/APPLICATION_PROTOCOL=FTAM) - enables user to copy one or more input files to a single output file, within or between FTAM applications.
• FTAM deletion facility (DELETE/APPLICATION_PROTOCOL=FTAM) - enables user to delete files
• FTAM directory facility (DIRECTORY/APPLICATION_PROTOCOL=FTAM) - enables user to display file attributes for one or more files
• FTAM renaming facility (RENAME/APPLICATION_PROTOCOL=FTAM) - enables user to rename files.

The FTAM protocol is defined in ISO (www.iso.org ) documents 8571.

http://www.nhsia.nhs.uk/napps/step/pages/ithandbook/h232-6.htm: OSI File Transfer Access and Management (FTAM) Standard