How do I identify the name of disk in first slot of my server?

Solution 1:

Disks are enumerated by path under /dev/disk/by-path/ and via WWN under /dev/disk/by-id/. The first tell you about slot number and, by matching it with WWN, enable you to determine how slot enumeration is layed down (ie: from left to right and bottom to up, or vice versa). Most servers even have the slot themselves numbered (but be warned: I saw occasions where the printed number did not match /dev/disk/by-path).

Assuming you have no SN/WWN information on the disks themselves, you can use LED information to identify the disks:

• if your enclosure is supported, you can use something as ledctl to let the disk/slot blink;

• if you can't use ledctl or similar, you can generate a read load for each disk by running, in a fast loop, something as smartctl --all /dev/disk/by-path/<disk> while watching your disk/slot led.