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Home > Support Center > SIS Integration > SIRAS SFTP Connection Settings and File Access
SIRAS SFTP Connection Settings and File Access
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Aug 05, 2026

SIRAS SFTP Connection Settings and File Access

Use this article when a district, SELPA, SIS vendor, or technical staff member needs to connect to the SIRAS secure file-transfer server.

SFTP may be used to retrieve nightly SIRAS-to-SIS exports or to deliver approved SIS-to-SIRAS import files. The account, folders, filenames, permissions, and schedule depend on the configured integration.

New client or new technical contact?
Email [email protected] with the district or SELPA name, SIS vendor, technical contact, and intended data exchange. SIRAS will confirm the integration and securely provide or reissue the district-specific password and any additional folder instructions.
Do not send passwords, private keys, or other credentials through ordinary email.
SIRAS will provide an approved secure exchange method.

Contents

When SFTP Is Used

SFTP is used for approved file-based data exchanges. Common examples include:

  • SIRAS → SIS: nightly special education, Section 504, student, service, or related exports that the district SIS retrieves;
  • SIS → SIRAS: demographic, enrollment, contact, or other approved import files that the district or SIS vendor delivers; and
  • Bidirectional integrations: separate jobs moving different data in each direction.
SFTP is not required for every integration.
Some data moves through an SIS API instead. Aeries commonly uses an API for SIS-to-SIRAS data while using SFTP for SIRAS-to-Aeries export files.

Obtain or Replace Credentials

The password is district-specific and is provided separately through a secure method. Contact SIRAS when:

  • a new integration is being established;
  • the district has not received its SFTP credentials;
  • the SIS vendor or district technical contact changes;
  • the password is lost, exposed, or no longer works;
  • the district changes SIS products or hosting providers; or
  • a new automated job needs different folders or permissions.

Include the following in the initial support request:

  • district or SELPA name;
  • 7-digit district CDS code;
  • SIS vendor and hosting model;
  • technical contact name and email;
  • special education or SEDS contact; and
  • whether the district is retrieving SIRAS files, delivering SIS files, or both.

Standard Connection Settings

File protocol SFTP
Host name ftp.sirassystems.org
Port 7472
Username The district or LEA’s 7-digit CDS code, unless SIRAS provides a different username for the configured integration.
Password / authentication Provided separately by SIRAS through an approved secure method.
Common client WinSCP or another SFTP client approved by the district.
Select SFTP—not FTP or FTPS.
Some older SIRAS setup material also used the phrase “SSL Explicit Encryption.” Modern clients normally present SFTP and FTPS as different protocols. Select SFTP using the host and port above. When a client requires another encryption setting or the connection profile is unclear, stop and confirm the current configuration with SIRAS Support.

Test the Connection Manually

Test the connection before creating a scheduled or unattended job.

Example using WinSCP

  1. Open WinSCP and create a new site.
  2. Set File protocol to SFTP.
  3. Enter ftp.sirassystems.org as the host.
  4. Enter 7472 as the port.
  5. Enter the username and password supplied for the district.
  6. Select Login.
  7. When the client displays a server host-key prompt, verify the connection with district IT or SIRAS before accepting an unexpected or changed host key.
  8. Confirm that the expected folder and files are visible.
  9. Retrieve or deliver a test file according to the integration instructions.
  10. Confirm that the local SIS can process the file successfully before automating the job.
Connection test complete when:
The district can log in, access the expected location, transfer the approved test file in the required direction, and process or validate the file successfully.

Files, Folders and Permissions

The available folders and files depend on the integration. Do not assume that one working file proves that every configured job is working.

Common nightly SIRAS data-table exports

Filename Description
tableA.csv Student data based on the CALPADS CFS specification, File 14 for SPED.
tableB.csv Service data based on the CALPADS CFS specification, File 15 for SSRV.
Other integrations may use different filenames.
Demographic imports, contact imports, Aeries exports, and locally configured exchanges may use other filenames and folder conventions. Follow the applicable integration article and the instructions provided by SIRAS.
  • Do not rename, edit, or resave a generated CSV before testing unless the documented integration requires it.
  • Do not delete server files unless the district’s process has been explicitly approved.
  • Confirm whether the account is read-only, write-only, or permitted to perform both operations.
  • Confirm whether the job should retrieve the newest file, a fixed filename, or a date-stamped file.

Configure an Automated Job

After the manual test succeeds:

  1. Document the host, port, username, authentication method, folder, filename, and data direction.
  2. Configure the SIS, middleware, or scheduled process using the same tested connection profile.
  3. Store credentials in the district’s approved secure credential store.
  4. Set the agreed schedule and timezone.
  5. Configure completion and failure notifications.
  6. Run the automated job once while technical staff are available.
  7. Verify the file transfer and the downstream import or export result.
  8. Document who reviews failures and how quickly they must be resolved.
A successful login is not proof that the integration succeeded.
Verify the expected filename, record count, processing result, and downstream data changes.

Security and Staff Changes

  • Limit SFTP access to staff and vendors who need it.
  • Do not share one person’s credential through unsecured messages or personal notes.
  • Remove access or rotate the password when a technical contact or vendor changes.
  • Contact SIRAS immediately when a password or private key may have been exposed.
  • Review scheduled jobs after server, firewall, SIS, hosting, or credential changes.
  • Keep the district’s technical and special education contacts current with SIRAS.

Troubleshooting

Problem What to review
Connection times out Host, port 7472, district firewall, outbound network rules, DNS resolution, and whether the connection is using SFTP.
Authentication fails Username, password, account status, saved credentials, keyboard/copying errors, and whether the password was recently changed.
Unexpected host-key warning Do not accept a changed key automatically. Confirm the current server identity with district IT and SIRAS Support.
Login succeeds but folder is empty Correct account, expected schedule, file generation status, folder path, and whether the account is intended for inbound or outbound files.
File is present but SIS cannot process it Filename, delimiter, encoding, leading zeros, file modification, expected specification, and the first processing error.
Manual transfer works but scheduled job fails Saved connection profile, service-account permissions, host-key handling, working directory, credential store, schedule, and execution account.

For unresolved issues, email [email protected] with:

  • district or SELPA;
  • SIS vendor;
  • data direction;
  • date and time of the attempt;
  • exact error text;
  • whether manual login works;
  • expected filename and folder; and
  • whether the issue affects retrieval, delivery, or downstream processing.

Do not include the password in the support email.

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