diff --git a/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties b/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties
index 64d9e6691b9b39d30874a954c27bce47ebbbccb8..8212e6298eb3e1027cc9f8401360f8bb1766df7d 100644
--- a/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties
+++ b/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ dss-rpc.put-default = main-thread
 #ftp.server.port=2121
 #
 # Similar to the global 'use-ssl' parameter. When set to 'true' all 'keystore' properties become mandatory.
-#ftp.server.use-ssl=false
+#ftp.server.use-ssl=true
 #
 # maximum number of threads used by the internal FTP server. Defaults to 25.
 #ftp.server.maxThreads=25
diff --git a/datastore_server/etc/service.properties b/datastore_server/etc/service.properties
index b319dd2dc36fc54074356357c2b5d41c959f7415..c16d422bcb2ccba266423a7e9646785f01896ae0 100644
--- a/datastore_server/etc/service.properties
+++ b/datastore_server/etc/service.properties
@@ -426,4 +426,54 @@ post-registration.last-seen-data-set-file = targets/last-seen-data-set
 post-registration.post-registration-tasks = pathinfo-feeding
 post-registration.pathinfo-feeding.class = ch.systemsx.cisd.etlserver.path.PathInfoDatabaseFeedingTask
 
+#
+# FTP server configuration
+#
+# when set to 'true' an internal ftp server will be started. it provides users with an alternative 
+# way to interact with their data (i.e. via an FTP client).  
+#ftp.server.enable=false
+#
+# port where the FTP server will be started. Optional parameter, default value is 2121
+#ftp.server.port=2121
+#
+# Similar to the global 'use-ssl' parameter. When set to 'true' all 'keystore' properties become mandatory.
+#ftp.server.use-ssl=true
+#
+# maximum number of threads used by the internal FTP server. Defaults to 25.
+#ftp.server.maxThreads=25
+#
+# The virtual folder structure supplied by the FTP server looks like 
+#      ${space}/${project}/${experiment}/<data-set-level>
+# While the first 3 levels in the hierarchy are not configurable, the format of the '<data-set-level>' 
+# can be specified with a template using the following built-in variables : 
+# ${dataSetCode} - the data set code
+# ${dataSetType} - the data set type
+# ${dataSetDate} - the creation date of the data set
+# ${disambiguation} - if ${dataSetCode} is not used, the ${disambiguation} variable must be present 
+#                     in the template in order to avoid path collisions. 
+# ${fileName} - When ${fileName} is specified in the template, '<data-set-level>' will include 
+#     the name of a file located directly under the dataset root folder. One entry will be created 
+#     for earch such file. 
+# Example :
+# ftp.server.dataset.display.template=${dataSetDate}-${disambiguation}-${fileName}
+# Result :
+# /SPACE/PROJECT/EXPERIMENT/2011-10-10-10-10-A-file1.txt
+# /SPACE/PROJECT/EXPERIMENT/2011-10-10-10-10-A-file2.pdf
+# /SPACE/PROJECT/EXPERIMENT/2011-10-10-10-10-B-file1.txt
+# /SPACE/PROJECT/EXPERIMENT/2011-10-10-10-10-B-file2.pdf
+#
+# Optional parameter, default template value is ${dataSetCode}                
+#ftp.server.dataset.display.template=${dataSetCode}
+#
+# Specifies that the contents of a dataset should be listed starting from a preconfigured subpath. 
+# The property is only configurable per data set type.
+# Example (will hide a single top level folder starting with 'orig' for datasets of type HCS_IMAGE):
+#   ftp.server.dataset.filelist.subpath.HCS_IMAGE = orig[^/]*
+#ftp.server.dataset.filelist.subpath.<dataset-type>=
+#
+# A filter pattern appiled to all files within a data set. Files not matching the pattern will be 
+# hidden and FTP users will not see them.
+# Example (will only show PNG files for data sets of type HCS_IMAGE): 
+# ftp.server.dataset.filelist.filter.HCS_IMAGE= .*png
+