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1 | Open vSwitch <http://openvswitch.org> |
2 | ||
3 | What is Open vSwitch? | |
4 | --------------------- | |
5 | ||
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6 | Open vSwitch is a multilayer software switch licensed under the open |
7 | source Apache 2 license. Our goal is to implement a production | |
8 | quality switch platform that supports standard management interfaces | |
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9 | and opens the forwarding functions to programmatic extension and |
10 | control. | |
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11 | |
12 | Open vSwitch is well suited to function as a virtual switch in VM | |
13 | environments. In addition to exposing standard control and visibility | |
14 | interfaces to the virtual networking layer, it was designed to support | |
15 | distribution across multiple physical servers. Open vSwitch supports | |
16 | multiple Linux-based virtualization technologies including | |
17 | Xen/XenServer, KVM, and VirtualBox. | |
18 | ||
19 | The bulk of the code is written in platform-independent C and is | |
20 | easily ported to other environments. The current release of Open | |
21 | vSwitch supports the following features: | |
22 | ||
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23 | * Standard 802.1Q VLAN model with trunk and access ports |
24 | * NIC bonding with or without LACP on upstream switch | |
25 | * NetFlow, sFlow(R), SPAN, RSPAN, and ERSPAN for increased visibility | |
26 | * QoS (Quality of Service) configuration, plus policing | |
27 | * GRE, GRE over IPSEC, and CAPWAP tunneling | |
28 | * 802.1ag connectivity fault management | |
29 | * OpenFlow 1.0 plus numerous extensions | |
30 | * Transactional configuration database with C and Python bindings | |
31 | * Compatibility layer for Linux bridging code | |
32 | * High-performance forwarding using a Linux kernel module | |
064af421 | 33 | |
9884eaad | 34 | The included Linux kernel module supports Linux 2.6.18 and up, with |
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35 | testing focused on 2.6.32 with Centos and Xen patches. Open vSwitch |
36 | also has special support for Citrix XenServer hosts. | |
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37 | |
38 | Open vSwitch can also operate, at a cost in performance, entirely in | |
39 | userspace, without assistance from a kernel module. This userspace | |
40 | implementation should be easier to port than the kernel-based switch. | |
41 | It is considered experimental. | |
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43 | What's here? |
44 | ------------ | |
45 | ||
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46 | The main components of this distribution are: |
47 | ||
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48 | * ovs-vswitchd, a daemon that implements the switch, along with |
49 | a companion Linux kernel module for flow-based switching. | |
064af421 | 50 | |
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51 | * ovsdb-server, a lightweight database server that ovs-vswitchd |
52 | queries to obtain its configuration. | |
53 | ||
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54 | * ovs-brcompatd, a daemon that allows ovs-vswitchd to act as a |
55 | drop-in replacement for the Linux bridge in many environments, | |
56 | along with a companion Linux kernel module to intercept bridge | |
57 | ioctls. | |
064af421 | 58 | |
f30f26be | 59 | * ovs-dpctl, a tool for configuring the switch kernel module. |
064af421 | 60 | |
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61 | * Scripts and specs for building RPMs that allow Open vSwitch |
62 | to be installed on a Citrix XenServer host as a drop-in | |
63 | replacement for its switch, with additional functionality. | |
4b11d5e8 | 64 | |
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65 | * ovs-vsctl, a utility for querying and updating the configuration |
66 | of ovs-vswitchd. | |
67 | ||
68 | * ovs-appctl, a utility that sends commands to running Open | |
69 | vSwitch daemons. | |
064af421 | 70 | |
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71 | * ovsdbmonitor, a GUI tool for remotely viewing OVS databases and |
72 | OpenFlow flow tables. | |
73 | ||
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74 | Open vSwitch also provides an OpenFlow implementation and tools for |
75 | those interested in OpenFlow but not additional Open vSwitch features: | |
064af421 | 76 | |
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77 | * ovs-openflowd, an alternative to ovs-vswitchd that implements a |
78 | simple OpenFlow switch, without the special features provided by | |
79 | ovs-vswitchd. | |
064af421 | 80 | |
f30f26be | 81 | * ovs-controller, a simple OpenFlow controller. |
064af421 | 82 | |
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83 | * ovs-ofctl, a utility for querying and controlling OpenFlow |
84 | switches and controllers. | |
064af421 | 85 | |
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86 | * ovs-pki, a utility for creating and managing the public-key |
87 | infrastructure for OpenFlow switches. | |
064af421 | 88 | |
f30f26be | 89 | * A patch to tcpdump that enables it to parse OpenFlow messages. |
064af421 | 90 | |
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91 | What other documentation is available? |
92 | -------------------------------------- | |
064af421 | 93 | |
4b11d5e8 | 94 | To install Open vSwitch on a regular Linux machine, read INSTALL.Linux. |
064af421 | 95 | |
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96 | To use Open vSwitch as a drop-in replacement for the Linux bridge, |
97 | read INSTALL.bridge. | |
98 | ||
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99 | To build RPMs for installing Open vSwitch on a Citrix XenServer host |
100 | or resource pool, read INSTALL.XenServer. | |
064af421 | 101 | |
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102 | To use Open vSwitch with KVM on Linux, read INSTALL.Linux, then |
103 | INSTALL.KVM. | |
104 | ||
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105 | To install Open vSwitch without using a kernel module, read |
106 | INSTALL.userspace. | |
107 | ||
15b619e2 | 108 | To learn how to set up SSL support for Open vSwitch, read INSTALL.SSL. |
064af421 | 109 | |
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110 | Each Open vSwitch userspace program is accompanied by a manpage. Many |
111 | of the manpages are customized to your configuration as part of the | |
112 | build process, so we recommend building Open vSwitch before reading | |
113 | the manpages. | |
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114 | |
115 | Contact | |
116 | ------- | |
117 | ||
37ea6436 | 118 | bugs@openvswitch.org |
064af421 | 119 | http://openvswitch.org/ |