How can FTP functionality in PHP be leveraged to securely transfer files between servers, and what are the necessary considerations for implementing this method?

To securely transfer files between servers using FTP functionality in PHP, it is important to use secure FTP protocols such as FTPS or SFTP. This ensures that the data transferred is encrypted and secure. Additionally, it is crucial to properly handle authentication credentials and permissions to prevent unauthorized access to the servers.

// Connect to the FTP server using FTPS
$ftp_server = 'ftp.example.com';
$ftp_username = 'username';
$ftp_password = 'password';
$ftp_connection = ftp_ssl_connect($ftp_server);

// Login to the FTP server
if (ftp_login($ftp_connection, $ftp_username, $ftp_password)) {
    // Securely transfer files between servers
    ftp_put($ftp_connection, '/remote/path/file.txt', '/local/path/file.txt', FTP_BINARY);
    
    // Close the FTP connection
    ftp_close($ftp_connection);
} else {
    echo 'Failed to login to FTP server';
}