Parallel File Transfer

A Python-based file transfer application that accelerates the transmission of large files by utilizing parallel TCP connections, breaking files into smaller chunks and transmitting them concurrently. It enhances speed, reliability, and efficiency in file transfers, perfect for large data transfers across a congested networks.

🚀 Features

• Parallel Transmission: Utilizes multiple TCP connections to transfer file chunks concurrently.
• Progress Monitoring: Displays transfer speed, percentage completed, and estimated time remaining.
• Error Handling: Gracefully handles interruptions during transfer.

🛠️ Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x
• Required Libraries:
  • socket
  • threading
  • os
  • time

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/prathampt/parallelFileTransfer.git
cd parallelFileTransfer

Methodology

The application is designed around the concept of parallelism in file transmission. Here's how it works:

1. File Chunking

The file to be transferred is divided into smaller chunks, each of which can be sent over separate TCP connections. The client sends these chunks concurrently to the server using multiple threads.

2. Parallel TCP Connections

Instead of transmitting the file sequentially, the application opens multiple TCP connections. Each connection handles a specific chunk of the file, reducing overall transfer time by utilizing network bandwidth more effectively.

3. Real-time Progress Monitoring

The application calculates and displays:

• Percentage Complete: Shows how much of the file has been transferred.
• Transfer Speed: Calculates the speed in MB/s.
• Estimated Time Remaining: Dynamically estimates how long the transfer will take to complete based on the current speed.

4. Error Handling

If a connection is interrupted, the application catches the error and ensures no data is lost or corrupted, resuming the transfer where it left off.

🔧 Usage

Starting the Server

Run the server script to start receiving file chunks. The server listens on a specified port and waits for connections from clients.

python main.py -r receiver -s ./data/

Sending Files as a Client

Run the client script, specifying the file to transfer and the server's IP address. The client breaks the file into chunks and sends them over multiple TCP connections.

python main.py -r sender <file_path> <receiver_ip>

⚙️ Configuration

You can adjust the number of parallel connections and the chunk size by modifying the corresponding variables in the code.

🛠️ Future Enhancements

• Encryption: Implement end-to-end encryption for secure file transfers.
• Compression: Add file compression to reduce the amount of data sent over the network.
• Better error handling: Improve recovery from network interruptions.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request to contribute.

Contributing Guidelines

1. Fork the Repository: Start by forking the project repository to your GitHub account.
2. Clone Locally: Clone the forked repository to your local machine using a Git client.

   git clone https://github.com/prathampt/parallelFileTransfer

3. Create a New Branch: Always work on a new branch, giving it a descriptive name.

   git checkout -b new-feature-x

4. Make Your Changes: Develop and test your changes locally.
5. Commit Your Changes: Commit with a clear message describing your updates.

   git commit -m 'Implemented new feature x.'

6. Push to GitHub: Push the changes to your forked repository.

   git push origin new-feature-x

7. Submit a Pull Request: Create a PR against the original project repository. Clearly describe the changes and their motivations.

Once your PR is reviewed and approved, it will be merged into the main branch.

License

This project is licensed under the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3 - see the LICENSE file for details.

Fork and Star..

Don't forget to fork the repository and give a star if you liked it...