my %args = ( user => "$user", port => "$port", key_path => 'path/sftp_download', ssh_args => { user => "$user", identity_files => [ 'path/sftp_download'], port => "$port", protocol=>'2,1', debug => 1, } ); my $sftp=Net::SFTP->new($server, %args) or die "could not open connection to $server\n";