Identifying the API managing Block Storage volumes and snapshots

Reviewed on July 31, 2025

This page shows you how to identify the API managing your Block Storage volumes and snapshots, using the Scaleway API and CLI.

Important

Scaleway is transitioning the management of all block volumes and snapshots from the Instance API to the Block Storage API.
Find out about the advantages of migrating the management of your volumes and snapshots from the Instance API to the Block Storage API.
Find out how to migrate your Block Storage volumes and snapshots from the Instance API to the Block Storage API.

Before you start

To complete the actions presented below, you must have:

A Scaleway account logged into the console
Created Block Storage volumes
Created an API key and set your secret key as an environment variable
Installed curl
Installed the Scaleway CLI

Listing all volumes and snapshots created in a specific Availability Zone

The Scaleway Instance and Block Storage APIs identify their volumes differently. Volumes created with the Instance API are identified as b_ssd volumes, whereas volumes created with the Block Storage API are identified as sbs_5k or sbs_15k volumes.

Listing volumes created with the Instance API

Open a terminal and run the following command to list your volumes managed by the Instance API. Make sure that you replace {zone} with the desired Availability Zone.

curl -X GET \
-H "X-Auth-Token: $SCW_SECRET_KEY" \
"https://api.scaleway.com/instance/v1/zones/{zone}/volumes"

Below is an example of the output that should display if you have created volumes in the fr-par-1 Availability Zone using the Instance API.

The volume_type field is set to b_ssd, meaning the volumes were created via the Instance API.

{
  "volumes": [
    {
      "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "System volume",
      "volume_type": "b_ssd",
      "export_uri": null,
      "organization": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "project": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "server": {
        "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
        "name": "scw-brave-elion"
      },
      "size": 25000000000,
      "state": "available",
      "creation_date": "2024-01-30T13:11:15.554809+00:00",
      "modification_date": "2024-01-30T13:11:17.078820+00:00",
      "tags": [],
      "zone": "fr-par-1"
    },
    {
      "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "Volume-data",
      "volume_type": "b_ssd",
      "export_uri": null,
      "organization": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "project": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "server": {
        "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
        "name": "scw-brave-elion"
      },
      "size": 20000000000,
      "state": "available",
      "creation_date": "2024-01-30T13:11:15.554809+00:00",
      "modification_date": "2024-01-30T13:11:15.554809+00:00",
      "tags": [],
      "zone": "fr-par-1"
    }
  ]
}

Listing volumes created with the Block Storage API

Open a terminal and run the following command to list your volumes managed by the Block Storage API. Make sure that you replace {zone} with the desired Availability Zone.

curl -X GET \
  -H "X-Auth-Token: $SCW_SECRET_KEY" \
  "https://api.scaleway.com/block/v1alpha1/zones/{zone}/volumes"

Below is an example of the output that should display if you have created volumes in the fr-par-1 Availability Zone using the Block Storage API.

The volume_type field is set to either sbs_15k or sbs_5k, meaning the volumes were created via the Block Storage API.

{
  "volumes": [
    {
      "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "volume-nifty-allen",
      "type": "sbs_15k",
      "size": 25000000000,
      "status": "in_use",
      "specs": {
        "perf_iops": 15000,
        "class": "sbs"
      },
      "zone": "fr-par-1"
    },
    {
      "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "volume-xenodochial-mccarthy",
      "type": "sbs_15k",
      "size": 30000000000,
      "status": "in_use",
      "specs": {
        "perf_iops": 15000,
        "class": "sbs"
      },
      "zone": "fr-par-1"
    }
  ],
  "total_count": 2
}

Identifying the API managing snapshots

Using the Instance API

Open a terminal and run the following command to list all snapshots created via the Instance API. Make sure that you replace {zone} with the desired Availability Zone.

curl -X GET \
  -H "X-Auth-Token: $SCW_SECRET_KEY" \
  "https://api.scaleway.com/instance/v1/zones/{zone}/snapshots"

An output similar to the following displays:

{
  "snapshots": [
    {
      "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "snap-magical-driscoll",
      "volume_type": "b_ssd",
      "creation_date": "2024-01-29T15:19:12.357297+00:00",
      "modification_date": "2024-01-29T15:22:13.885529+00:00",
      "organization": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "project": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "size": 25000000000,
      "state": "available",
      "base_volume": null,
      "tags": [],
      "zone": "fr-par-1",
      "error_details": null
    }
  ]
}

Using the Block Storage API

Open a terminal and run the following command to list all snapshots created via the Block Storage API. Make sure that you replace {zone} with the desired Availability Zone.

curl -X GET \
  -H "X-Auth-Token: $SCW_SECRET_KEY" \
  "https://api.scaleway.com/block/v1alpha1/zones/{zone}/snapshots"

An output similar to the following displays:

{
  "snapshots": [
    {
      "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "name": "snap-elated-thompson",
      "parent_volume": {
        "id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
        "name": "volume-xenodochial-mccarthy",
        "type": "sbs_15k",
        "status": "in_use"
      },
      "size": 30000000000,
      "project_id": "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "created_at": "2024-07-25T14:18:43.929942Z",
      "updated_at": "2024-07-25T14:18:43.929942Z",
      "references": [],
      "status": "available",
      "tags": [],
      "class": "sbs",
      "zone": "fr-par-1"
    }
  ]
}

Identifying the API managing volumes with the CLI

Using the Scaleway Instance CLI

Open your terminal and run the following command to list all your volumes.

scw instance volume list

An output similar to the following displays:

ID                                    STATE      SERVER ID
b582c548-6dc0-4e77-bb93-9615b9baa380  available  a4138186-f362-41b2-adc2-c46a2e1a46b7
59d48a65-3501-49eb-9a93-be9a6b262e1e  available  bc1b3dde-b175-42f1-b322-f6d441fc49ca
49985053-0141-4180-acfa-7f1a51526dac  available  4780cdd0-1303-4dfe-9d72-92207eb195b1
7e1a9b98-b7ee-4bbc-8f8f-a7abbfffc937  available  67003b8c-2fe2-4346-a381-405896aa87b4
86bef16c-78db-4125-aa91-1ed9de9a50eb  available  67003b8c-2fe2-4346-a381-405896aa87b4
7c232b97-63da-46e3-a018-399e1690b14b  available  ea5b27d7-268f-40fe-aff7-6943fbcac379
1a506e55-0741-4afd-8fbc-bc086ace0265  available  8860802f-0337-4901-b58c-ba3975922349

Copy the ID of the volume for which you want to check the type.

Run the command below to get information about your volume, including its type. Make sure that you replace <volume-id> with the ID of the volume.

scw instance volume get <volume-id>

An output similar to the following displays:

Volume.ID                7c232b97-63da-46e3-a018-399e1690b14b
Volume.Name              System volume
Volume.Size              10 GB
Volume.VolumeType        b_ssd
Volume.CreationDate      1 year ago
Volume.ModificationDate  1 year ago
Volume.Organization      0c514155-9e5e-41a2-a900-9fdf0195b563
Volume.Project           0c514155-9e5e-41a2-a900-9fdf0195b563
Volume.Server.ID         ea5b27d7-268f-40fe-aff7-6943fbcac379
Volume.Server.Name       scw-optimistic-wilbur
Volume.State             available
Volume.Zone              fr-par-1

Check the Volume.VolumeType field to learn if your volume is managed by the Instance API or the Block Storage API. Note that in our example, the Volume.VolumeType field displays b_ssd, meaning our volume is managed by the Instance API.

Using the Scaleway Block Storage CLI

Open your terminal and run the following command to list all your volumes.

scw block volume list

An output similar to the following should display:

ID                                    NAME                          TYPE     SIZE
7a9f3816-7bb7-44ea-a103-832b9685cdc6  volume-nifty-allen            sbs_15k  25 GB
cdab395b-c1b9-4a3b-a759-2add13eb2bcb  volume-xenodochial-mccarthy   sbs_15k  30 GB
6708229e-bd8c-46f6-bcec-cd3ab93198b7  volume-interesting-keller     sbs_5k   25 GB
672d6c01-465f-43bd-a315-0ac48d49fec5  volume-amazing-lamarr         sbs_5k   25 GB
965b5361-01c5-4ca5-81dd-fa0307e36d20  volume-eloquent-grothendieck  sbs_5k   25 GB
13307e4a-c075-4421-b9b5-436732a1c739  vol-admiring-noether          sbs_5k   25 GB

Note that the TYPE field displays sbs_15k or sbs_5k, meaning our volumes are managed by the Block Storage API.

Identifying the API managing snapshots with the CLI

Using the Scaleway Instance CLI

Open a terminal and run the following command to list your snapshots:

scw instance snapshot list

An output similar to the following displays:

ID                                    NAME                   ORGANIZATION
d4b45594-7398-481d-8299-46292e07e404  snap-magical-driscoll  0c514155-9e5e-41a2-a900-9fdf0195b563

Note the ID of the snapshot you want to check the type of.

Get more information about your snapshot, including its type. Make sure that you replace <snapshot-id> with the ID of the snapshot.

scw instance snapshot get <snapshot-id>

An output similar to the following displays:

Snapshot.ID                d4b45594-7398-481d-8299-46292e07e404
Snapshot.Name              snap-magical-driscoll
Snapshot.Organization      0c514155-9e5e-41a2-a900-9fdf0195b563
Snapshot.Project           0c514155-9e5e-41a2-a900-9fdf0195b563
Snapshot.VolumeType        b_ssd
Snapshot.Size              25 GB
Snapshot.State             available
Snapshot.CreationDate      10 months ago
Snapshot.ModificationDate  10 months ago
Snapshot.Zone              fr-par-1

Check the Snapshot.VolumeType field to see the type of the snapshot. Note that in the example above, the Snapshot.VolumeType field displays b_ssd, meaning our volume is managed by the Instance API.

Using the Scaleway Block Storage CLI

Open a terminal and run the following command to list your snapshots:

scw block snapshot list

An output similar to the following displays:

ID                                    NAME                  SIZE   PROJECT ID
7f6ab0bd-cd0d-466b-b1e3-bd309dddfcf8  snap-elated-thompson  30 GB  0c514155-9e5e-41a2-a900-9fdf0195b563
92fa0096-30cf-4e7e-a1fe-2fbe73f524b9  snap-busy-albattani   25 GB  e53c4255-f982-4d9d-a003-5ea43cb33707

Note the ID of the snapshot for which you want to check the type.

Run the command below to get information about your snapshot, including its type. Make sure that you replace <snapshot-id> with the ID of the snapshot.

scw block snapshot get <snapshot-id>

An output similar to the following displays:

ID                   92fa0096-30cf-4e7e-a1fe-2fbe73f524b9
Name                 snap-busy-albattani
ParentVolume.ID      965b5361-01c5-4ca5-81dd-fa0307e36d20
ParentVolume.Name    volume-eloquent-grothendieck
ParentVolume.Type    sbs_5k
ParentVolume.Status  available
Size                 25 GB
ProjectID            e53c4255-f982-4d9d-a003-5ea43cb33707
CreatedAt            1 week ago
UpdatedAt            1 week ago
Status               available
Zone                 fr-par-1
Class                sbs

Check the ParentVolume.Type field to see the type of the snapshot. Note that in the example above, the ParentVolume.Type field displays sbs_5k, meaning our volume is managed by the Block Storage API.

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