[Smartmontools-database] Options to get a drive into the smartmontools drive database

[Christian Franke]

Hello Samuel,

Samuel Ruprecht wrote:
> I have created the ticket #1301 
> (https://www.smartmontools.org/ticket/1301 ) in the trac a few weeks 
> ago for a disk
>
> model which is not yet in the smartmontools drive database.
>
> Now since we are using this disk type in multiple mission critical 
> systems, I would be very glad if this drive gets added
>
> to the drive database as quick as possible, so that we can be sure we 
> monitor the disk stats properly.
>

Quote from:
https://www.smartmontools.org/wiki/FAQ#MyATASATAdriveisnotinthesmartctlsmartddatabase
"... the essential drive health monitoring/testing functionality of 
smartmontools does not depend upon the database."

For HDDs in general, the default attribute set is usually sufficient. 
There are a few exceptions which don't affect health monitoring.

For this Seagate series in particular, a drive database entry would only 
change the print format of attribute 240 raw value. The unknown 
attribute 18 will not change as it is not documented in the public 
available PDFs (it is possibly related to Helium like attribute 22).

To be convinced that there is not much difference, simply copy this 
draft entry to a local database file:

   { "Seagate Exos X16",
     "ST1[46]000NM00[13]G-.*",
     "", "",
     "-v 18,raw48,Unknown_Seagate_Attrib "
     "-v 240,msec24hour32"
   },

See -B option on smartctl man page for the path (usually 
/etc/smart_drivedb.h or /etc/smartmontools/smart_drivedb.h)


> Preferably the patch would be written by myself or somebody in the 
> company, but we currently don’t have the resources or knowledge for that.
>
> I am aware that creating a patch takes its time and therefore I would 
> like to ask if the possibility exists to speed up the process by e.g. 
> donating somewhere or pay somebody to do it for us?

Thanks - but a donation of person-hours from someone who is willing to 
maintain the database would help more than money :-)

Regards,
Christian