Using SCP (Secure Copy)

The SCP command can be used to send a file to a server or retrieve a file from a server. Because it uses the SSH protocol for authentication SCP is more secure than FTP which transmits passwords in plain text.

SCP is an extremely simple protocol.  It allows uploading a single file, downloading a single file, recursively downloading a folder, or recursively uploading a folder.

It's meant for extremely simple use cases where you need to transfer one or more files or folders from point A to point B.  If you want a user interface and the ability to browse a folder, you need to switch to SFTP instead. 

We generally recommend testing with command-line SCP clients. 

Enable SCP:

Click Server Manager (Configure on version 10 or below) on the Cerberus Admin Portal to display the Server Manager window, then click the Listeners tab at the top

Select the SFTP interface you wish to allow SCP on (Do not select the default SFTP interface)

Select Allow the SCP protocol

Click Update to save your settings

Sending a File:

scp money.pdf dana@servername.com:/home/dana/hr/
Syntax: scp [file] [user]@[server]:[/path/to/destination/]

Copies the local file 'money.pdf' to the directory '/home/dana/he/' on the server as the user 'dana'.

Retrieving a File:

scp dana@servername.com:/home/dana/hr/money.pdf Download/
Syntax: scp [user]@[server]:[/path/to/target/file] [local destination]

Copies the file 'money.pdf' from its location on the server to the local directory called 'Download' as the user 'dana'.

Wildcard File Transfers:

SCP can also be used with wildcard statements (*) to transfer multiple files that meet your criteria:
scp dana@servername.com:/home/dana/hr/*.pdf Download/

Syntax: scp [user]@[server]:[/path/to/target/*wildcard*] [local destination]

Copies all files ending in '.pdf' in the '/home/dana/hr' directory to the local directory called 'Download' as the user 'dana'.

Wildcards can be used for both sending and receiving files.