3 Free Ways to Transfer Files from Server to Server (2024)

How do I transfer files from old server to new server?

In our daily lives, you may want to transfer files from server to server for personal use or file sharing. This is quite common, for example, you want to migrate to a new server; or if you cannot finish your work in the office, you need to continue doing this at home. Also, if you work in a team, you may need to share files with other people.

The question is: how to copy files from server to server? The most traditional way is using FTP as a middle man to perform server to server file transfer. In addition, you still can use SCP and one powerful file sync software - AOMEI Backupper Server. Click on one of the methods below to learn more.

Way 1. Windows Server File Transfer Software

Way 2. FTP Server

Way 3. SCP command line

Of these, the easiest method is using the versatile Windows Server file transfer software - AOMEI Backupper Server.  With it, you can transfer files from server to server more flexibly, from daily to monthly, in real-time, mirror files to the destination, or sync between two directories.

Way 1. Copy files from server to server with software (Easiest)

FTP and SCP are helpful ways if you want to transfer files from local to remote and vice versa. If you use SCP, it can still transfer files between two remote servers. But both of them require human intervention and the latter one is error-prone.

Thus, if you don't want to copy files from one server to another server manually or you are using Windows Server, try the professional and easy file sync software - AOMEI Backupper Server. It can transfer files to server with the same network segment.

AOMEI Backupper

Professional Server Sync Software

• Multiple sync modes: Basic Sync, Real-Time Sync, Mirror Sync, and Two-Way Sync.
• Schedule Sync: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event Trigger, and Plug in. 
• Sync only newer files: By default, this software will sync only newer files instead of all files every time, greatly saving time and disk space.
• All servers and PC systems: Windows Server 2012(R2), 2016(R2), 2019, 2022, etc., and Windows 7, 8, 10, 11.

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Windows Server & 11/10/8.1/8/7

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With its intuitive user interface, you can easily complete the file sync task, especially useful for users who don't want to sync files manually every time or have large amounts of files that need to synchronize.

Below are the simple steps to perform server to server file transfer. To migrate from one Windows PC to another, you can try the free AOMEI Backupper Standard edition, which supports Windows 7, 8, 8.1,10, and 11.

1. Download powerful server backup software - AOMEI Backupper Server. Then, launch this software after installation, click "Sync" and "Basic Sync" subsequently.

2. Click "+ Add Folder" to select the files or folders on the local computer you want to sync. 

Note ✎...

If your files or folders are on a remote server, please add the server as network location first.

Then, click the funnel-shaped icon next to the selected folders if you want to include or exclude the file extension you want to sync.

After that, add your server as a network location and select a target path by clicking the inverted triangle > "Select a network location" >"Add Share or NAS Devices", and type the required information in the next window.

3. To transfer files from server to server automatically, click "Schedule Sync" > "Enable Schedule Sync" and select Daily/Weekly/Monthly. Also, you can sync files during system shutdown with the help of "Event triggers". After that, click "Start Sync".

Tips:✎...

Similarly, it's feasible to synchronize files to NAS or cloud storage and access them from a computer.

Aside from directly transferring files from server to server, you still can sync files to external hard drive like HDD, SSD, flash drive, CD/DVD, etc., and connect it to another server via a connector, whether a USB port, adapter, or encloser. 

Except for sync, it still allows you to backup your server regularly, so you can recover data in the event of a disaster. For users who want to create a cloud backup, but with a few GB of cloud storage, you could try AOMEI Cloud drive, which provides you with 1TB cloud storage from the time you sign up until 15 days.

Way 2. Transfer files from server to server using FTP

To transfer files between 2 Windows servers, the traditional way is to use the FTP desktop app as a middle-man. You need to download  Filezilla or other FTP desktop tools, configure and use it to upload or download files between two remote servers.

However, no FTP server is installed on most of the Windows Dedicated Servers by default. But you can use another way to transfer files using FTP.  In Windows 10, you can use File Explorer to add network location to your local computer and then manually move files from or to it. In Windows Server, you can use Remote Desktop feature to achieve the same goal.

Without further ado, let's get started, taking Windows 10 as an example.

1. Open File Explorer, select This PC, then right-click the blank space and choose "Add a network location". 

2. In the new pop-up window, click "Choose a custom network location" to move on.

3. Then, type the FTP server address and the form is ftp://server.com. Then, you will be asked to type username and password if your server has one. If not, check "Log on anonymously" for limited access.

4. Type a name you like or easy to remember. Later, you will see the FTP site under the Network locations link in This PC.

5. Copy and paste files or folders from this server, or to it.

Way 3. Transfer files between two servers with SCP

The third method is to use SCP command line tool. It is a native feature of Windows 10, Linux, and Mac, based on SSH protocol, and can help users transfer files and entire folders in Linux command either from local to remote, remote to local, or remote to remote without downloading and uploading.

You could directly use Terminal for Mac or Command Prompt in Windows 10/11. For Windows 8.1 and previous systems, you must use Putty, the Windows SSH app. 

Notes:✎...

The SCP requires an SSH key or password for authentication on the remote systems. And all the files and passwords are encrypted, so it will be quite safe.

You don't need to log into the system while using SCP.

The SCP will overwrite files without warning if both of them have the same name and location on two systems, whether local or remote.

Here you need to learn the SCP command syntax first and then transfer files with it:

• The basic one: scp [OPTIONS] [SOURCE] [DESTINATION].
• If either path is on the remote system, please add the server address (@:) first. 

1. Open command prompt in Windows 10 and run as administrator.

2.  Select a syntax according to your situation and replace the parameters with your own. Afterward, hit Enter to run it. 

✍ To transfer file or directory from local system to remote, the syntax are sequently:

scp [file_path] [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_dir]

scp -r [local_dir] [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_dir]

For example, to transfer the savvynik.txt document from the desktop on the local C: drive to a remote host 192.168.1.114/home/savvynik/desktop, type as follow

✍ To copy file from remote server to local machine, the syntax are respectively: 

scp [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_file_path] [local_dir]

scp -r [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_dir] [local_dir]

✍ To transfer file between two remote servers ( passwords required for both system), the syntax is: 

scp [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_file_path] [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_dir]

The meanings of SCP paramters ✎... 
• [user] refers to username of remote server.
• [remote_host] means the address of remote server, either IP address or domain name.
• [file_path] is path of local file.
• [remote_file_path] refers to path of files on the remote system.
• [local_dir] means path of directory on local system.
• [remote_dir] is the path of directory on remote server.
• -r stands for recursive, an option of SCP, used when copy directory.

FAQs about file transfer from server to server

Conclusion

You can easily transfer files from server to server with 3 helpful methods in the above. If you don't want to copy files from one server to another on Windows with batch script and wish this process to run automatically, it's suggested to schedule sync files with file sync software - AOMEI Backupper Server. It offers different backup frequencies (Daily, Weekly, Monthly), or allows you to sync files at a specific event or using a USB flash drive.  

Also, this software is still disk cloning software. It allows you to transfer data from SSD to another SSD by cloning the entire disk. Also, you can clone hard drive in Windows Server 2016 or other systems. For IT technicians, you could use AOMEI Backupper Tech Plus to protect unlimited servers and PCs. 

AOMEI Backupper

If you are looking for the easiest way to transfer files from server to server, try Windows Server file transfer software - AOMEI Backupper Server! No human intervention.

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Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7