Ftp to remote server

I am attempting to setup a process to copy or ftp a file to a remote server. My question: Is my webserver posting the file to the remote server or is it the client machine? My concern is that my webserver, which has minimal throughput to the internet, can't handle the file transfers to the remote server. The remote server, which is not mine, does have higher bandwidth capacity. My point: I'd like my webserver to still handle simple page requests for the domain in question but (hopefully) pass on file transfers to the remote server freeing my webserver from the heavy usage.

Basically is my webserver a 'transfer agent' between the client machine and the remote server or do the client machine and remote server communicate directly once the php_connect script is activated?

Where is the file coming from?

>>Basically is my webserver a 'transfer agent' between the client
>>machine and the remote server or do the client machine and
>>remote server communicate directly once the php_connect
>>script is activated?
Neither. ftp_connect() connects your server to another server, and it has nothing to do with the visitor.