By default FTP comes disabled on stock RedHat AS3 and AS4 server installs. For the most part you should not be using it anyways, and instead using something more secure like SFTP. However, in some rare occasions I find the need to enable FTP. Below I will show you how to do it:

1. Become the root user on your server.
2. Change to the /etc/xinetd.d directory

   cd /etc/xinetd.d/
   

3. Edit the gssftp file

   vi gssftp
   

4. Change the line that says disable = yes to disable = no. Also remove the –a option in the server_args line.
   Your config file should now look like the one below. Save the file and exit vi.

   service ftp
   {
           flags           = REUSE
           socket_type     = stream
           wait            = no
           user            = root
           server          = /usr/kerberos/sbin/ftpd
           server_args     = -l
           log_on_failure  += USERID
           disable         = no
   }
   

   The -a option removes the following restriction, as described in the man ftpd page.

   -a
   Connections are only allowed for users who can
   authenticate (via the ftp AUTH mechanism) and who
   are authorized to connect to the named account
   without a password. (Anonymous  ftp  may  also
   be allowed if it is configured.)
   

5. Restart the xinetd daemon.

   /etc/init.d/xinetd restart
   

6. You should now be able to FTP to your server.

That’s it, you’re FTP service is now enabled. Now let me explain when I actually use FTP. Sometimes I will transfer very large files or amounts of data between my servers (many gigabytes worth). I will enable FTP temporarily to do this since FTP can do these transfers a little more quickly than SFTP because it doesn’t have as much overhead. After I’m done with the transfer, I then disable FTP.