Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve executing file transfer protocol (FTP) operations. An FTP request is received, and a first sequence of FTP operations is executed in response to the request. The first sequence of FTP operations defines a first path in a knowledge network that includes multiple nodes. The first path includes a first subset of the nodes. A second sequence of FTP operations is executed. The second sequence of operations defines a second path in the knowledge network, and the second path includes a second subset of the nodes. The first sequence and/or the second sequence is selected as a preferred sequence of operations based at least in part on the execution of the first and second sequences of operations. An identification of the preferred sequence of operations is stored, for example, for use in responding to a subsequent FTP request.