smartmontools port

[Douglas Gilbert]

"The smartmontools package contains two utility
programs (smartctl and smartd) to control and
monitor storage systems using the Self-Monitoring,
Analysis and Reporting Technology System (S.M.A.R.T.)
built into most modern ATA and SCSI hard disks."
See http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net for more
details.

Currently it only supports Linux but the maintainer,
Bruce Allen <ballen at gravity.phys.uwm.edu>, has
received patches for a FreeBSD port for ATA disks.
[Those patches are not in the project's CVS yet.]

As yet no-one has proposed or offered any patches for
a FreeBSD port of the SCSI code. For SCSI specific
information about smartmontools together with examples
see this url:
http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/smartmontools_scsi.html

I have rewritten the SCSI command handling code and
Kai Makisara has added code to support the TapeAlert
mechanism. The Linux SCSI command handling details
are hidden behind a CAM like structure.
This should facilitate a clean port of this code.
Other broader issues would need addressing (e.g. the
assumptions made at higher levels about device names
being SCSI or ATA devices).

If anyone wishes to volunteer or look at this please
contact me or Bruce. We would also be interested if
FreeBSD has any other utilities that provide SMART
facilities.

Doug Gilbert