How to use the command lsscsi (with examples)

The lsscsi command is used to list SCSI devices (or hosts) and their attributes. It provides information about SCSI devices connected to a system, such as disk drives, tape drives, and optical drives. The command helps to identify and gather information about SCSI devices, which can be useful for system administration, troubleshooting, and device management.

Use case 1: List all SCSI devices

Code:

lsscsi

Motivation: When working with SCSI devices, it is often necessary to know which devices are connected to the system. By listing all SCSI devices, users can quickly identify the connected devices and their corresponding device identifiers.

Explanation: The lsscsi command without any options lists all SCSI devices. It provides information such as host, channel, target, and lun numbers, device identifiers, device type, and vendor.

Example output:

[0:0:0:0]    disk    ATA      ST1000DM010-2EP1  CC42  /dev/sda 
[2:0:0:0]    cd/dvd  HL-DT-ST DVDRAM  GH24NSC0  LK00  /dev/sr0 

Use case 2: List all SCSI devices with detailed attributes

Code:

lsscsi -L

Motivation: In some cases, it might be necessary to gather more detailed information about the SCSI devices connected to the system. The -L option provides additional attributes for each SCSI device, such as device model, revision, and SCSI level.

Explanation: The -L option is used to list all SCSI devices with detailed attributes. It includes information such as device model, revision, SCSI level, transport entity, and SCSI device state.

Example output:

[0:0:0:0]    disk    ATA      ST1000DM010-2EP1  CC42  /dev/sda  
device_model:     ST1000DM010-2EP1                  
revision:         CC42                               
scsi_level:       6                                   
transport_entity: Host: scsi_host0                  
device_state:     running                           
[2:0:0:0]    cd/dvd  HL-DT-ST DVDRAM  GH24NSC0  LK00  /dev/sr0 
device_model:     HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NSC0           
revision:         LK00                               
scsi_level:       5                                   
transport_entity: Host: scsi_host2                  
device_state:     running     

Use case 3: List all SCSI devices with human-readable disk capacity

Code:

lsscsi -s

Motivation: Sometimes it can be useful to display the disk capacity of SCSI devices in a human-readable format. The -s option provides this information, making it easier to understand the disk capacity at a glance.

Explanation: The -s option is used to list all SCSI devices with human-readable disk capacity. The disk capacity is displayed in units such as bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), or gigabytes (GB).

Example output:

[0:0:0:0]    disk    ATA      ST1000DM010-2EP1  CC42  /dev/sda  931.5G
[2:0:0:0]    cd/dvd  HL-DT-ST DVDRAM  GH24NSC0  LK00  /dev/sr0  -

Conclusion:

The lsscsi command is a useful tool for listing SCSI devices and their attributes. By using various options, users can customize the output to suit their needs. Whether it’s identifying connected devices, gathering detailed information, or displaying disk capacities, lsscsi provides a valuable resource for managing SCSI devices.