FTP is known for consuming less resources than the typical HTTP while downloading and uploading. One need to prefix the directory which would be used for storing downloaded file while setting up a FTP download. Any directory can be selected for FTP downloads, either it may be out of your account web root or even can be directly accessed through Internet. Once directory is finalized for staring downloads you can move ahead for setting FTP account. FTP users have read write access for the specific selected directory, they can also overwrite the directory which already exists. One of great utility of FTP is it can resume the previously lost connecting and stat the uploading or downloading from where it ended previously. User can set specific order of data which is to be uploaded and downloaded in a particular order. FTP users also have scripting abilities when used through command line. One can restrict the number of users by creating limited FTP logins for them.
Above we saw the goodies of FTP but on the other side there are also few limitations and drawbacks it has with it. If a user uses it as an anonymous then possibly the access of that particular directory can be granted to any person from that particular web hosting account. Important and confidential factors like Usernames, passwords and files are transferred in text format. Filtration of an active FTP connection is a critical task specially on a local machine.