Upload file to SFTP using PowerShell

Question

We were asked to set up an automated upload from one of our servers to an SFTP site. There will be a file that is exported from a database to a filer every Monday morning an

Answer 1

I am able to sftp using PowerShell as below:

PS C:\Users\user\Desktop> sftp user@aa.bb.cc.dd                                                     
user@aa.bb.cc.dd's password:
Connected to user@aa.bb.cc.dd.
sftp> ls
testFolder
sftp> cd testFolder
sftp> ls
taj_mahal.jpeg
sftp> put taj_mahal_1.jpeg
Uploading taj_mahal_1.jpeg to /home/user/testFolder/taj_mahal_1.jpeg
taj_mahal_1.jpeg                                                                      100%   11KB  35.6KB/s   00:00
sftp> ls
taj_mahal.jpeg      taj_mahal_1.jpeg
sftp>

I do not have installed Posh-SSH or anything like that. I am using Windows 10 Pro PowerShell. No additional modules installed.

Answer 2

There isn't currently a built-in PowerShell method for doing the SFTP part. You'll have to use something like psftp.exe or a PowerShell module like Posh-SSH.

Here is an example using Posh-SSH:

# Set the credentials
$Password = ConvertTo-SecureString 'Password1' -AsPlainText -Force
$Credential = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential ('root', $Password)

# Set local file path, SFTP path, and the backup location path which I assume is an SMB path
$FilePath = "C:\FileDump\test.txt"
$SftpPath = '/Outbox'
$SmbPath = '\\filer01\Backup'

# Set the IP of the SFTP server
$SftpIp = '10.209.26.105'

# Load the Posh-SSH module
Import-Module C:\Temp\Posh-SSH

# Establish the SFTP connection
$ThisSession = New-SFTPSession -ComputerName $SftpIp -Credential $Credential

# Upload the file to the SFTP path
Set-SFTPFile -SessionId ($ThisSession).SessionId -LocalFile $FilePath -RemotePath $SftpPath

#Disconnect all SFTP Sessions
Get-SFTPSession | % { Remove-SFTPSession -SessionId ($_.SessionId) }

# Copy the file to the SMB location
Copy-Item -Path $FilePath -Destination $SmbPath

Some additional notes:

• You'll have to download the Posh-SSH module which you can install to your user module directory (e.g. C:\Users\jon_dechiro\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules) and just load using the name or put it anywhere and load it like I have in the code above.
• If having the credentials in the script is not acceptable you'll have to use a credential file. If you need help with that I can update with some details or point you to some links.
• Change the paths, IPs, etc. as needed.

That should give you a decent starting point.

Answer 3

Using PuTTY's pscp.exe (which I have in an $env:path directory):

pscp -sftp -pw passwd c:\filedump\* user@host:/Outbox/
mv c:\filedump\* c:\backup\*

Answer 4

You didn't tell us what particular problem do you have with the WinSCP, so I can really only repeat what's in WinSCP documentation.

• Download WinSCP .NET assembly.
  The latest package as of now is WinSCP-5.17.9-Automation.zip;

• Extract the .zip archive along your script;

• Use a code like this (based on the official PowerShell upload example):

    # Load WinSCP .NET assembly
    Add-Type -Path "WinSCPnet.dll"
  
    # Setup session options
    $sessionOptions = New-Object WinSCP.SessionOptions -Property @{
        Protocol = [WinSCP.Protocol]::Sftp
        HostName = "example.com"
        UserName = "user"
        Password = "mypassword"
        SshHostKeyFingerprint = "ssh-rsa 2048 xxxxxxxxxxx...="
    }
  
    $session = New-Object WinSCP.Session
  
    try
    {
        # Connect
        $session.Open($sessionOptions)
  
        # Upload
        $session.PutFiles("C:\FileDump\export.txt", "/Outbox/").Check()
    }
    finally
    {
        # Disconnect, clean up
        $session.Dispose()
    }
  

---

You can have WinSCP generate the PowerShell script for the upload for you:

• Login to your server with WinSCP GUI;
• Navigate to the target directory in the remote file panel;
• Select the file for upload in the local file panel;
• Invoke the Upload command;
• On the Transfer options dialog, go to Transfer Settings > Generate Code;
• On the Generate transfer code dialog, select the .NET assembly code tab;
• Choose PowerShell language.

You will get a code like above with all session and transfer settings filled in.

(I'm the author of WinSCP)