The present disclosure is directed to providing FTP data connections between a client and a server via a multi-core system. Both client-side and server-side data connections are allowed to be served on a core that is the same as a core that has processed the corresponding control connection using at least one of receive side scaling (RSS) filter rules and changes in port allocation logic. In a cluster where control connection and data connection can reach different nodes based on an RSS distribution, the node which has processed the control connection is also allowed to process the corresponding data connection using at least one of RSS filter rules, service registration, changes in port allocation logic and node-to-node (N2N) messages. The systems and methods discussed herein apply to active FTP, passive FTP, and active FTP with a random port in which the server initiates data connection from a non-standard FTP port.