1 .TH ovs\-dpctl 8 "August 2009" "Open vSwitch" "Open vSwitch Manual"
5 ovs\-dpctl \- administer Open vSwitch datapaths
9 [\fIoptions\fR] \fIcommand \fR[\fIswitch\fR] [\fIargs\fR\&...]
13 The \fBovs\-dpctl\fR program can create, modify, and delete Open vSwitch
14 datapaths. A single machine may host up to 256 datapaths (numbered 0
17 A newly created datapath is associated with only one network device, a
18 virtual network device sometimes called the datapath's ``local port''.
19 A newly created datapath is not, however, associated with any of the
20 host's other network devices. To intercept and process traffic on a
21 given network device, use the \fBadd\-if\fR command to explicitly add
22 that network device to the datapath.
24 If \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8) is in use, use \fBovs\-vsctl\fR(8) instead
27 Most \fBovs\-dpctl\fR commands that work with datapaths take an
28 argument that specifies the name of the datapath. Datapath names take
29 the form [\fItype\fB@\fR]\fIname\fR, where \fIname\fR is the network
30 device associated with the datapath's local port. If \fItype\fR is
31 given, it specifies the datapath provider of \fIname\fR, otherwise the
32 default provider \fBsystem\fR is assumed.
34 The following commands manage datapaths.
37 \fBadd\-dp \fIdp\fR [\fInetdev\fR...]
38 Creates datapath \fIdp\fR, with a local port also named \fIdp\fR.
39 This will fail if a network device \fIdp\fR already exists.
41 If \fInetdev\fRs are specified, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR adds them to the datapath.
45 Deletes datapath \fIdp\fR. If \fIdp\fR is associated with any network
46 devices, they are automatically removed.
49 \fBadd\-if \fIdp netdev\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]...
50 Adds each \fInetdev\fR to the set of network devices datapath
51 \fIdp\fR monitors, where \fIdp\fR is the name of an existing
52 datapath, and \fInetdev\fR is the name of one of the host's
53 network devices, e.g. \fBeth0\fR. Once a network device has been added
54 to a datapath, the datapath has complete ownership of the network device's
55 traffic and the network device appears silent to the rest of the
58 A \fInetdev\fR may be followed by a comma-separated list of options.
59 The following options are currently supported:
62 .IP "\fBtype=\fItype\fR"
63 Specifies the type of port to add. The default type is \fBsystem\fR.
64 .IP "\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR"
65 Adds an arbitrary key-value option to the port's configuration.
68 \fBovs\-vswitchd.conf.db\fR(5) documents the available port types and
72 \fBdel\-if \fIdp netdev\fR...
73 Removes each \fInetdev\fR from the list of network devices datapath
78 Prints the name of each configured datapath on a separate line.
81 [\fB\-s\fR | \fB\-\-statistics\fR] \fBshow \fR[\fIdp\fR...]
82 Prints a summary of configured datapaths, including their datapath
83 numbers and a list of ports connected to each datapath. (The local
84 port is identified as port 0.) If \fB\-s\fR or \fB\-\-statistics\fR
85 is specified, then packet and byte counters are also printed for each
88 If one or more datapaths are specified, information on only those
89 datapaths are displayed. Otherwise, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR displays information
90 about all configured datapaths.
92 .IP "\fBdump\-flows \fIdp\fR"
93 Prints to the console all flow entries in datapath \fIdp\fR's
96 This command is primarily useful for debugging Open vSwitch. The flow
97 table entries that it displays are not
98 OpenFlow flow entries. Instead, they are different and considerably
99 simpler flows maintained by the Open vSwitch kernel module.
100 .IP "\fBdel\-flows \fIdp\fR"
101 Deletes all flow entries from datapath \fIdp\fR's flow table.
103 This command is primarily useful for debugging Open vSwitch. As
104 discussed in \fBdump\-flows\fR, these entries are
105 not OpenFlow flow entries. By deleting them, the process that set them
106 up may be confused about their disappearance.
109 .IP "\fB\-s\fR, \fB\-\-statistics\fR"
110 Causes the \fBshow\fR command to print packet and byte counters for
111 each port within the datapaths that it shows.
113 \fB\-t\fR, \fB\-\-timeout=\fIsecs\fR
114 Limits \fBovs\-dpctl\fR runtime to approximately \fIsecs\fR seconds. If
115 the timeout expires, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR will exit with a \fBSIGALRM\fR
123 A typical \fBovs\-dpctl\fR command sequence for controlling an
124 Open vSwitch kernel module:
127 \fBovs\-dpctl add\-dp dp0\fR
128 Creates datapath number 0.
131 \fBovs\-dpctl add\-if dp0 eth0 eth1\fR
132 Adds two network devices to the new datapath.
135 At this point one would ordinarily start \fBovs\-openflowd\fR(8) on
136 \fBdp0\fR, transforming \fBdp0\fR into an OpenFlow switch. Then, when
137 the switch and the datapath is no longer needed:
140 \fBovs\-dpctl del\-if dp0 eth0 eth1\fR
141 Removes network devices from the datapath.
144 \fBovs\-dpctl del\-dp dp0\fR
145 Deletes the datapath.
150 .BR ovs\-openflowd (8),
151 .BR ovs\-vswitchd (8)