Secure copy, or scp, is a primary means (along with
rsync) of copying files between
computers/clusters/etc.
It works in a similar way to cp, but with some of the information of
ssh thrown in.
$ scp current_name.txt euid123@talon3.hpc.unt.edu:~/testingR/copy.txt
In this example, the item current_name.txt is being copied from the local
computer (or wherever you’re currently located) to the user euid123 on the
device talon3.hpc. unt.edu.
The file is being copied to the the folder testingR off the home directory
(remember the tilde) of user euid123.
Since the file name was changed (it doesn’t have to be; if it isn’t, then the
copy.txt portion is either left off or also current_name.txt),
it was included in the path.
After this command is run, a password prompt will appear, asking for the
password of euid123@talon3.hpc.unt.edu.
After that is input, then the copying begins.
Another use for scp is to copy entire directories, and not just files, and
it is thus very useful.
For copying an entire directory, the -r (recursion) flag must be used.
$ scp -r directory/ place@to.go.to:~/location/