Using VMware to Operate Multiple FTP Accounts Simultaneously
Posted on Wednesday, Jun 23, 2010 in "Random Stuff"
When you own a large website, or several websites, one of the ways you can minimize the time and effort involved with uploading files to your site is to use an FTP client. This kind of software can upload multiple files to your website in very large batches, thus making it easier for you to upload massive directories with the click of a button. Once you have the files created and organized properly, you can then use an FTP client like FileZilla to upload the files to your site. Using an FTP client is very simple, and it facilitates the process of site management and development without the need for individual file uploading.
The Limitations of an FTP Client
Unfortunately FTP clients are limited in what they can do, as far as uploading files to multiple sites at the same time. For those that own several websites, and need to upload many files to multiple sites simultaneously, using a single install of an FTP client is simply not an option. Thus, you either need several different FTP clients, or you need to use a visualization solution, in which you have several operating systems running on the same computer. This can be done with ease using a program called VMware.
The Freedom of VMware
As mentioned, VMware lets you have multiple operating systems on the same computer, which is useful for a variety of reasons. One of the ways you can use this to your advantage in regards to maximizing productivity is to have several virtual machines installed which are all running different installs of your FTP client. This solution is optimal for online business owners that operate many websites, and would like to reduce the amount of time spent uploading files to their sites. VMware separates each operating system, so that they are completely independent and do not share any system files. Thus, you can have one operating system infected with 10 viruses, while the your main operating system is not affected whatsoever.
How to Use VMware to Run FTP Clients Simultaneously
To run several installs of the same FTP client you’ll need to install several operating system. Since this can be quite expensive for the average site owner, this method is not recommended for novice users or those that are on a limited budget. However, for those that are in need of a solution to manage 50-100 or even hundreds of websites, this is a perfect solution. Keep in mind that having several operating systems installed and running on your machine at the same time can be somewhat taxing on system resources, so a computer with more than 8 GB of RAM is recommended. Once the operating systems are installed, simply run the FTP clients as you would in a single OS, and schedule them each to execute tasks simultaneously. At this point you can walk away or do something else with your computer, as the rest of the task will be completed by the numerous operating systems running on your machine.
