Mapping an FTP Site to A Drive Letter

Earlier I was trying to set up a scheduled backup using the Windows XP Backup service, but I soon realized my FTP server wasn't among the allowed backup destinations. This particular limitation has frustrated me before, too.... why can't I natively backup to an FTP server, or more specifically, map an FTP site to a drive letter to save from applications?

There are some possible security risks, of course, but my FTP server is locked down tight, and I'm not saving the passwords.

There are some commercial applications, namely WebDrive [South River Technologies, $49.95] that do this, but I'm a big beliver in 'bigger is rarely better', and wanted something more OEM-style.

Enter Novell's NetDrive. Essentially the same as WebDrive, it's small [under 6mb], fast, and easy. It can connect to all manner of web resources, including Samba servers, and supports md5 password encryption, etc.

I can now setup remote backups to FTP, and even save files from Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Word, or any other program, [including P2P apps, although it would be unbearably slow] DIRECTLY to my [or any other] server!

.:About the Author
William Kinirons is the president of BMK Media, a web and graphic design company based in Coconut Creek that also offers in-home computer hardware & software support. For more information on web design, onsite computer software support, or managed web hosting call BMK Media at (954) 818-2010.