Provided by: sg3-utils_1.42-2ubuntu1.18.04.2_amd64 
NAME
sg_timestamp - report or set timestamp on SCSI device
SYNOPSIS
sg_timestamp [--help] [--milliseconds=MS] [--origin] [--raw] [--readonly] [--seconds=SEC] [--srep]
[--verbose] [--version] DEVICE
DESCRIPTION
Sends a SCSI REPORT TIMESTAMP or SET TIMESTAMP command to the DEVICE. These commands are found in the
SPC-5 draft standard revision 7 (spc5r07.pdf).
If either the --milliseconds=MS or --seconds=SEC option is given (and both can't be given) then the SET
TIMESTAMP command is sent; otherwise the REPORT TIMESTAMP command is sent.
The timestamp is sent and received from the DEVICE as the number of milliseconds since the epoch of
1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC and is held in a 48 bit unsigned integer. That same epoch is used by Unix
machines, but they usually hold the number of seconds since that epoch. The Unix date command and
especally its "+%s" format is useful in converting to and from timestamps and more humanly readable
forms. See the EXAMPLES section below.
OPTIONS
Arguments to long options are mandatory for short options as well.
-h, --help
output the usage message then exit.
-m, --milliseconds=MS
where MS is the number of milliseconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC to set in the DEVICE with the
SCSI SET TIMESTAMP command.
-o, --origin
the REPORT TIMESTAMP returned parameter data contains a "timestamp origin" field. When this option
is given, that field is decoded and printed out before the timestamp value is output. The default
action (i.e. when the option is not given) is not to print out this decoded field.
-r, --raw
output the SCSI REPORT TIMESTAMP response (i.e. the data-out buffer) in binary (to stdout). Note
that the --origin and --srep options are ignored when this option is given. Also all error and
verbose messages are output to stderr.
-R, --readonly
open the DEVICE read-only. The default action is to open the DEVICE read-write.
-s, --seconds=SEC
where SEC is the number of seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC to set in the DEVICE with the
SCSI SET TIMESTAMP command. SEC is multiplied by 1000 before being used in the SET TIMESTAMP
command.
-S, --srep
report the number of seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC. This is done by dividing by 1000 the
value returned by the SCSI REPORT TIMESTAMP command.
-v, --verbose
increase the level of verbosity, (i.e. debug output).
-V, --version
print the version string and then exit.
EXIT STATUS
The exit status of sg_timestamp is 0 when it is successful. Otherwise see the sg3_utils(8) man page.
NOTES
The TCMOS and the SCSIP bits in the Control extension mode page (see sdparm) modify the actions of the
timestamp held by a DEVICE.
Currently only the "Utilization usage rate based on date and time" parameters within the Utilization log
page (sbc4r09.pdf) use timestamps. See the sg_logs utility. Vendor specific commands and pages may also
be using timestamps.
EXAMPLES
On Unix machines (e.g. Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris) the date command is useful when working with
timestamps.
To fetch the timestamp from a DEVICE and display it in a humanly readable form the following could be
used:
# sg_timestamp -S /dev/sdb
1448993950
# date --date="@1448993950"
Tue Dec 1 13:19:10 EST 2015
# date -R --date="@1448993950"
Tue, 01 Dec 2015 13:19:10 -0500
The latter two date commands show different forms of the same date (i.e. 1448993950 seconds since
1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC). The sg_timestamp and date commands can be combined using backquotes:
# date -R --date="@`sg_timestamp -S /dev/sdc`"
Wed, 16 Dec 2015 20:12:59 -0500
To set the timestamp on the DEVICE to now (approximately) the following could be used:
# date +%s
1448993955
# sg_timestamp --seconds=1448993955 /dev/sdb
Those two command lines could be combined into one by using backquotes:
# sg_timestamp --seconds=`date +%s` /dev/sdb
AUTHORS
Written by Douglas Gilbert.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to <dgilbert at interlog dot com>.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2015 Douglas Gilbert
This software is distributed under a FreeBSD license. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY
or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
SEE ALSO
sdparm(sdparm), sg_logs(sg3_utils)