Computer operating systems include file copying methods to users; operating systems with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) often providing copy-and-paste or drag-and-drop methods of file copying.
Depending on the reasons behind the shadow operation, this location may be as close as the BIOS chip to the RAM modules, a second harddrive in the same chassis, or as far away as the other side of the globe.
Operating systems with specialized file copying APIs are usually able to tell the server to perform the copying locally, without sending file contents over the network, thus greatly improving performance.
Sometimes, remote file copying is performed with a specialized command, like "NCOPY" in DOS clients for Novell NetWare.
An even more complicated situation arises when one needs to copy files between two remote servers.