Dynamics 365 Business Central: using SFTP from AL (the native way)

Key points

• The SFTP Client codeunit in the System Application wraps the SSH.NET library so AL code can talk directly to SFTP servers
• Supported sign-in methods are username with password, or username with a private key, with or without a passphrase
• You must register the server’s fingerprint, a short hash of its public key, before connecting; this guards against man-in-the-middle attacks
• GetFileAsStream downloads a file, ListFiles lists a path, and DeleteFile removes a remote file; the connection is stateful and needs Disconnect when done
• An April 27, 2026 update says Microsoft will remove or deprecate the module, so Azure Functions and similar alternatives are needed again

Quotes

• “With Dynamics 365 Business Central 2026 Wave 1 release (v28) Microsoft introduced a new SFTP Client module in System Application” (Establishes that this is a new native capability added in the 2026 Wave 1 release)
• “You must always add the fingerprint of the server you want to connect to, before connecting.” (Critical security requirement for establishing trusted SFTP connections)

AL objects mentioned

As named in the post. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.

• codeunit 9762 “SFTP Client”
• interface “ISFTP File”
• codeunit 9764 “SFTP Operation Response”

Context

• Features: SFTP Client module, SSH-2 library integration, Public key authentication, Password authentication, File download via GetFileAsStream, Directory listing via ListFiles, File deletion via DeleteFile
• Versions: 2026 Wave 1, v28

Source: Stefano Demiliani, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.