Smartmontools

Smartmontools is an open-source collection of utilities designed to monitor and control S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) capable storage devices. The package includes smartctl, a command-line tool that reads SMART attributes, runs tests, and configures SMART features, and smartd, a daemon that continuously monitors SMART data and can notify administrators or trigger actions when a drive shows signs of problems.

The tools are intended for cross-platform use and support common storage interfaces such as ATA/IDE, SATA, and SAS. They provide access to SMART attribute values, drive temperature, power-on hours, and error logs, along with functionality to initiate SMART self-tests (short, long, and conveyance tests) and to perform offline data collection. Smartd can be configured to generate alerts via email, syslog, or custom scripts based on user-defined thresholds and conditions.

Smartmontools is widely used in server environments, workstations, and embedded systems for proactive maintenance and reliability planning. It supports manual inspection of individual drives through smartctl and automated monitoring through smartd, allowing administrators to integrate SMART data into monitoring systems and routine health checks. The configuration file, typically smartd.conf, enables device specification, test scheduling, and alert policies.

The project is developed as free and open-source software released under the GNU General Public License. It is maintained by a global community of contributors and is available from the official project site, smartmontools.org, which also hosts documentation, release notes, and source code.