diff --git a/jar/pb-core-6.4.0.jar b/jar/pb-core-6.4.0.jar
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..49d6d3f
Binary files /dev/null and b/jar/pb-core-6.4.0.jar differ
diff --git a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PAsperaLoader.java b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PAsperaLoader.java
index ff81596..1c56668 100644
--- a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PAsperaLoader.java
+++ b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PAsperaLoader.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPClient;
 
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.util.aspera.AsperaCmd;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.util.aspera.AsperaUtils;
@@ -62,12 +61,17 @@ public String getWorkerBaseName() {
 	}
 
   @Override
-	public void closeConnection(FTPClient ftp) {
+	public void closeLoader() {
 	  //nothing to do
 	}
 
   @Override
-	protected boolean configureFtpClient(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc) {
+  public boolean readyToDownload() {
+    return true;
+  }
+  
+  @Override
+  public boolean prepareLoader(DBServerConfig fsc) {
 	  boolean bRet=true;
 	  //check we have Aspera configuration
 	  //Aspera bin and ssh certificate are located in global config file
@@ -100,7 +104,7 @@ protected boolean configureFtpClient(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc) {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	protected int downloadFile(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile, File file, long lclFSize) {
+	protected int downloadFile(DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile, File file, long lclFSize) {
 		int iRet = 0;
 		
 		//no apsera cmd object: may happen if wrong configuration
diff --git a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoader.java b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoader.java
index c486e34..6676e2a 100755
--- a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoader.java
+++ b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoader.java
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ public class PFTPLoader {
   private String                _loaderId;
   private int                   _timeout     = 50000;
   private String                _fileOfFiles;
+  private FTPClient             _ftp = null;
   
   protected static final String CANCEL_MSG   = "job cancelled";
   protected static final String CONN_ERR_MSG = "Server does not answer. Retry...";
@@ -110,27 +111,33 @@ public void setUserProcessingMonitor(UserProcessingMonitor userMonitor) {
   public void setFileOfFiles(String fof) {
     _fileOfFiles = fof;
   }
-  public void closeConnection(FTPClient ftp) {
+  public void closeLoader() {
     // Logout from the FTP Server and disconnect
     // for unknown reasons, sometimes got a Connection Reset SocketException.
     // do nothing in that case
     try {
-      ftp.logout();
+      _ftp.logout();
     } catch (Exception e) {
     }
   }
 
-  public FTPClient openConnection(DBServerConfig fsc) {
-    FTPClient ftp;
+  public boolean readyToDownload() {
+    return (_ftp != null && _ftp.isConnected());
+  }
+  
+  public boolean prepareLoader(DBServerConfig fsc) {
+    FTPClient ftp = null;
 
     ftp = new FTPClient();
     if(!configureFtpClient(ftp, fsc)) {
-    	ftp = null;
+    	return false;
     }
-    return ftp;
+    
+    _ftp = ftp;
+    return true;
   }
 
-  protected boolean configureFtpClient(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc) {
+  private boolean configureFtpClient(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc) {
 	  int reply;  
 	  boolean bRet = true;
 	  try {
@@ -178,7 +185,6 @@ protected boolean configureFtpClient(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc) {
   /**
    * Download a file from remote server.
    * 
-   * @param ftp the ftp client
    * @param fsc bank descriptor
    * @param rFile remote file descriptor
    * @param file local file path
@@ -186,7 +192,7 @@ protected boolean configureFtpClient(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc) {
    * @return 1 if success, 0 if failure, 2 if skip (file already loaded ; when
    *         resuming from a previous work) and 3 if aborted.
    * */
-	protected int downloadFile(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile, File file, long lclFSize) {
+	protected int downloadFile(DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile, File file, long lclFSize) {
 		FileOutputStream fos = null;
 		InputStream ftpIS = null;
 		String remoteFName;
@@ -199,28 +205,28 @@ protected int downloadFile(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile,
 		remoteFSize = rFile.getFtpFile().getSize();
 		try {
 			// enter remote directory
-			if (ftp.changeWorkingDirectory(rFile.getRemoteDir())) {
+			if (_ftp.changeWorkingDirectory(rFile.getRemoteDir())) {
 				// download file
 				LoggerCentral.info(LOGGER, "  " + getLoaderId() + ": download: " + rFile.getRemoteDir() + remoteFName);
 				
 				if (lclFSize!=0) {
 				  fos = new FileOutputStream(file, true);
-				  ftp.setRestartOffset(lclFSize);
+				  _ftp.setRestartOffset(lclFSize);
 				}
 				else {
           fos = new FileOutputStream(file);  
-          ftp.setRestartOffset(0l);
+          _ftp.setRestartOffset(0l);
 				}
-				ftpIS = ftp.retrieveFileStream(remoteFName);
+				ftpIS = _ftp.retrieveFileStream(remoteFName);
 				if (ftpIS == null) {
-					throw new Exception(getLoaderId() + ": unable to open remote input stream: " + ftp.getReplyString());
+					throw new Exception(getLoaderId() + ": unable to open remote input stream: " + _ftp.getReplyString());
 				}
 				Util.copyStream(ftpIS, fos, Util.DEFAULT_COPY_BUFFER_SIZE, remoteFSize,
 						new MyCopyStreamListener(getLoaderId(), _userMonitor, fsc.getName(), remoteFName, remoteFSize, lclFSize));
 				IOUtils.closeQuietly(ftpIS);
 				fos.flush();
 				IOUtils.closeQuietly(fos);
-				if (ftp.completePendingCommand()) {
+				if (_ftp.completePendingCommand()) {
 					file.setLastModified(remoteFDate.getTime());
 				} else {
 					throw new Exception(getLoaderId() + ": unable to download full file.");
@@ -262,7 +268,7 @@ protected int downloadFile(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile,
    * @return 1 if success, 0 if failure, 2 if skip (file already loaded ; when
    *         resuming from a previous work) and 3 if aborted.
    */
-  public int downloadFile(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile,
+  public int downloadFile(DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile,
       int fileNum, int totFiles) {
 	  File file, filegz, tmpDir;
     String remoteFName, name, msg;
@@ -326,7 +332,7 @@ public int downloadFile(FTPClient ftp, DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile,
           UserProcessingMonitor.MSG_TYPE.OK,
           msg);
     }
-    iRet = downloadFile(ftp, fsc, rFile, file, lclFSize<remoteFSize?lclFSize:0);
+    iRet = downloadFile(fsc, rFile, file, lclFSize<remoteFSize?lclFSize:0);
     if (_userMonitor != null) {
       _userMonitor.processingMessage(getLoaderId(), fsc.getName(), 
           UserProcessingMonitor.PROCESS_TYPE.FTP_LOADING,
diff --git a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoaderEngine.java b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoaderEngine.java
index 195d0c7..782efeb 100755
--- a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoaderEngine.java
+++ b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PFTPLoaderEngine.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.apache.commons.net.ftp.FTPClient;
 
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.util.aspera.AsperaUtils;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.util.conf.DBMSAbstractConfig;
@@ -104,7 +103,6 @@ private DataShuttle nextFtpFile() {
   }
 
   private class LoadWorker extends Thread {
-    private FTPClient  _ftp = null;
     private PFTPLoader _loader;
     private int        _id;
 
@@ -112,23 +110,17 @@ private LoadWorker(int id) {
       _id = id;
     }
 
-    private FTPClient getFtpClient() {
-      if (_ftp != null && _ftp.isConnected()) {
-        return _ftp;
-      }
-      _ftp = _loader.openConnection(get_dbsc());
-      return _ftp;
-    }
-
     public void run() {
       DataShuttle file;
-      FTPClient ftp;
       String fName;
       int retry, nFiles, bRet=0;
 
       if (AsperaUtils.asperaAvailable() && get_dbsc().useAspera()) {
         _loader = new PAsperaLoader(_id);
       }
+      else if (get_dbsc().getFTPAternativeProtocol()!=null) {
+        _loader = new PHTTPLoader(_id);
+      }
       else {
         _loader = new PFTPLoader(_id);
       }
@@ -141,10 +133,8 @@ public void run() {
           _monitor.beginLoading(fName);
         // try to get a ftp connection
         retry = 0;
-        ftp = null;
         while (retry < _retry) {
-          ftp = getFtpClient();
-          if (ftp != null)
+          if (_loader.prepareLoader(get_dbsc()))
             break;
           retry++;
           LoggerCentral.info(
@@ -156,11 +146,11 @@ public void run() {
           } catch (InterruptedException e) {
           }
         }
-        if (ftp != null) {
+        if (_loader.readyToDownload()) {
           // start loading
           retry = 0;
           while (retry < _retry) {
-            bRet = _loader.downloadFile(ftp, get_dbsc(), file.getFile(),
+            bRet = _loader.downloadFile(get_dbsc(), file.getFile(),
                 file.getFileNum(), nFiles);
             if (bRet != 0)
               break;
diff --git a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PHTTPLoader.java b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PHTTPLoader.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db65d3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/fetcher/PHTTPLoader.java
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/* Copyright (C) 2021 Patrick G. Durand
+ *
+ *  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.txt
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ */
+package bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
+import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+
+import bzh.plealog.bioinfo.io.http.HTTPBasicEngine;
+import bzh.plealog.bioinfo.io.http.HTTPEngineException;
+import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.util.conf.DBMSAbstractConfig;
+import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.util.log.LoggerCentral;
+
+/**
+ * This class is a file loader using HTTP or HTTPS protocol.
+ * 
+ * @author Patrick G. Durand
+ */
+public class PHTTPLoader extends PFTPLoader {
+
+	private String url_base;
+	
+	public static final String HTTP_WORKER = "HTTPLoader";
+
+	private static final Log      LOGGER       = LogFactory
+      .getLog(DBMSAbstractConfig.KDMS_ROOTLOG_CATEGORY
+          + ".PHTTPLoader");
+  
+	public PHTTPLoader(int id) {
+		super(id);
+	}
+
+  @Override
+	public String getWorkerBaseName() {
+		return HTTP_WORKER;
+	}
+
+  @Override
+	public void closeLoader() {
+	  //nothing to do
+	}
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean readyToDownload() {
+    return true;
+  }
+  
+  @Override
+  public boolean prepareLoader(DBServerConfig fsc) {
+	  url_base = fsc.getFTPAternativeProtocol();
+	  url_base+="://";
+	  url_base+=fsc.getAddress();
+    return HTTPBasicEngine.isServerAvailable(url_base);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected int downloadFile(DBServerConfig fsc, DBMSFtpFile rFile, File file, long lclFSize) {
+		int iRet = 0;
+		Map<String, String> header_attrs=null;
+		
+		//prepare the server side file to retrieve
+		String fileToRetrive = url_base + "/" + rFile.getRemoteDir()+rFile.getFtpFile().getName();
+
+    LoggerCentral.info(LOGGER, "  " + getLoaderId() + ": download: " + fileToRetrive);
+
+    //resume downloading if needed
+    if (lclFSize!=0) {
+      LoggerCentral.info(LOGGER, "resume downloading at byte: "+lclFSize);
+      header_attrs = new HashMap<>();
+      header_attrs.put(
+          HTTPBasicEngine.RANGE_HTTP, 
+          String.format(HTTPBasicEngine.RANGE_HTTP_FORMAT, lclFSize));
+    }
+    //go!
+    try {
+      HTTPBasicEngine.doGet(fileToRetrive, header_attrs, file,
+          new MyCopyStreamListener(getLoaderId(), _userMonitor, 
+              fsc.getName(), rFile.getFtpFile().getName(), rFile.getFtpFile().getSize(), 0));
+      iRet = 1;
+    } catch (HTTPEngineException e1) {
+      //do not raise warn or error here, handled by LoaderEngine
+      LoggerCentral.info(LOGGER, e1.getMessage() + " (" + e1.getHttpCode() + ")");
+    }
+    if (_userMonitor.jobCancelled()) {
+      iRet=3;
+    }
+		return iRet;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/ui/RunningMirrorPanel.java b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/ui/RunningMirrorPanel.java
index 06bcfaa..e4cdbc5 100755
--- a/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/ui/RunningMirrorPanel.java
+++ b/src/bzh/plealog/dbmirror/ui/RunningMirrorPanel.java
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher.PFTPLoader;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher.PFTPLoaderDescriptor;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher.PFTPLoaderSystem;
+import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher.PHTTPLoader;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher.PLocalLoader;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.fetcher.UserProcessingMonitor;
 import bzh.plealog.dbmirror.indexer.LuceneUtils;
@@ -494,7 +495,8 @@ private synchronized JLabel getFtpLabel(String workerId) {
         workerLabels.put(workerId, _ftpLblMsg[0]);
         lbl = _ftpLblMsg[0];
       } else if (workerId.startsWith(PFTPLoader.FTP_WORKER) ||
-    		  workerId.startsWith(PAsperaLoader.ASPC_WORKER)) {
+    		  workerId.startsWith(PAsperaLoader.ASPC_WORKER) ||
+          workerId.startsWith(PHTTPLoader.HTTP_WORKER)) {
         int pos = workerId.indexOf('-');
         String value = workerId.substring(pos + 1);
         int idx = Integer.valueOf(value);
@@ -517,7 +519,8 @@ public synchronized JProgressBar getFtpProgress(String workerId) {
         workerProgresess.put(workerId, _ftpProgress[0]);
         lbl = _ftpProgress[0];
       } else if (workerId.startsWith(PFTPLoader.FTP_WORKER) ||
-    		  workerId.startsWith(PAsperaLoader.ASPC_WORKER)) {
+    		  workerId.startsWith(PAsperaLoader.ASPC_WORKER) ||
+          workerId.startsWith(PHTTPLoader.HTTP_WORKER)) {
         int idx = Integer
             .valueOf(workerId.substring(workerId.indexOf('-') + 1));
         lbl = _ftpProgress[idx >= DBMSAbstractConfig.getFileCopyWorkers() ? 0