SFTP File Browser

Overview

The SFTP browser opens a file connection to the device behind a terminal tab, using the same host and credentials as the session. It is handy for pulling configs and logs off a device, pushing images, or editing a config file in place. Several SFTP connections can be open at once.

Open the File Browser

1. Connect to the device in a terminal tab.
2. Click SFTP in the status bar (tooltip SFTP File Browser), or right-click the tab and choose Open File Browser.
3. The SFTP view opens in the sidebar, and an SFTP Browser (N) icon appears in the activity bar while connections are open.

The panel header has a connection selector, plus Disconnect SFTP and Refresh buttons. To close it, right-click the tab and choose Close File Browser. Idle SFTP connections close after 5 minutes.

Starting Folder

The browser opens in the first of these that applies:

1. The session's SFTP Starting Directory (Session Settings → SSH tab).
2. A default for the session's CLI flavor:

   CLI flavor	Folder
   Cisco IOS/IOS-XE, Arista EOS	flash:/
   Cisco IOS-XR	harddisk:/
   Cisco NX-OS	bootflash:/
   Juniper Junos	/var/
   Palo Alto PAN-OS, Fortinet FortiOS	/

3. Your home directory on the device, then /.

Working with Files

Folders expand in a tree. Use the toolbar's Upload files and New folder buttons, or drag files from your desktop onto the panel (“Drop files to upload”).

Editing Text Files

Right-click a text file and choose Open in Editor. It opens in a tab titled SFTP: <device>:<file>.

• Click Save (or ⌘S / Ctrl+S) to write the file back to the device; Reload from server re-reads it.
• The tab shows Modified while you have unsaved changes and asks before discarding them.
• Files count as text by extension (.conf, .cfg, .txt, .log, .xml, .json, .yaml, .sh, .py and others), or when they have no extension and are 64 KB or smaller.
• The editor is a plain text editor without syntax colouring.

Transfers

Uploads and downloads show progress in a transfers panel. Each transfer has Cancel transfer and Remove from list; the panel has Clear completed and Minimize. Downloads are saved through your normal download location.

Enterprise Mode Enterprise

When signed in to a Controller, SFTP runs through the Controller and is available when your administrator has SFTP enabled. For the most reliable results, choose a specific profile in the Connect dialog (rather than the device default) for sessions where you need SFTP.

Limitations

• SFTP connects directly to the session's host; it does not go through jump hosts.
• SFTP signs in with plain password or key authentication. Devices that only accept keyboard-interactive login may work over SSH but not over SFTP.
• There is no permission editing (chmod/chown), folder download or SCP.

Troubleshooting