One limitation of using e-mail to transfer files is that the amount of data that can be transferred is limited. The largest amount of data that can be transferred through e-mail ranges from ten to twenty-five megabytes. However, there are instances where larger data, which can reach up to two gigabytes, needs to be transferred. A way to remedy this is to use the File Transfer Protocol to transfer files of this size.

To facilitate such a large transfer of data, software has been developed. This individual who is receiving the transfer does not need to have the software. All you need is to go through the usual process of transferring files as soon as you have installed the added software for large file transfers. However, it is not possible to send large amounts of data to multiple recipients; this is a security measure designed to prevent spammers from using such software to send large amounts of junk mail to people.

To ensure the quality of the data being transferred, the software that is installed usually provides two quality checks to ensure that the data is intact and is not corrupted. The first check involves the TCP/IP transferring the file across the Internet into small pieces called packets, which are subsequently reassembled into the original file on your recipients desktop computer. This process also has a built-in checking mechanism that ensures that the packets that have been sent are identical to the original file. After this, the TCP/IP then ensures that the same amount of data has been transferred and received. These quality checks ensure that the file transferred or received is exactly the same as the file that you have just sent.

With the problem of large data transfers and securing such transfers slowly being overcome, the transfer of large amounts of data in the near future can be expected to be more reliable, secure, effective, and cost-efficient.