[\fB\-\-\fR \fIcommand \fR[\fIargs\fR\&...]]
.
.SH DESCRIPTION
-The \fBovs\-vsctl\fR program configures \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8), mainly
-by providing a high\-level interface to editing its configuration file
-\fBovs\-vswitchd.conf\fR(5). This program is mainly intended for use
-when \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is running, but it can also be used when
-\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is not running. In the latter case configuration
-changes will only take effect when \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is started.
+The \fBovs\-vsctl\fR program configures \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8) by
+providing a high\-level interface to editing its configuration
+database. This program is mainly intended for use when
+\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is running. If it is used when
+\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is not running, then \fB\-\-no\-wait\fR should be
+specified and configuration changes will only take effect when
+\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is started.
.PP
-By default, each time \fBovs\-vsctl\fR runs, it examines and,
-depending on the requested command or commands, possibly applies
-changes to an
-\fBovs\-vswitchd.conf\fR file. Then, if it applied any changes and if
-\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is running, it tells \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR to reload
-the modified configuration file and waits for the reload to complete
-before exiting.
+By default, each time \fBovs\-vsctl\fR runs, it connects to an
+\fBovsdb\-server\fR process that maintains an Open vSwitch
+configuration database. Using this connection, it queries and
+possibly applies changes to the database, depending on the supplied
+commands. Then, if it applied any changes, it waits until
+\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR has finished reconfiguring itself before it exits.
.
.SS "Linux VLAN Bridging Compatibility"
The \fBovs\-vsctl\fR program supports the model of a bridge
The following options affect the general outline of \fBovs\-vsctl\fR's
activities:
.
-.IP "\fB\-c \fIfile\fR"
-.IQ "\fB\-\-config=\fIfile\fR"
-Sets the configuration file that \fBovs\-vsctl\fR reads and possibly
-modifies. The default is \fB@localstatedir@/ovs\-vswitchd.conf\fR.
+.IP "\fB\-\-db=\fIserver\fR"
+Sets \fIserver\fR as the database server that \fBovs\-vsctl\fR
+contacts to query or modify configuration. The default is
+\fBunix:@RUNDIR@/ovsdb\-server\fR. \fIserver\fR must take one of the
+following forms:
+.RS
+.IP "\fBtcp:\fIip\fB:\fIport\fR"
+Connect to the given TCP \fIport\fR on \fIip\fR.
+.IP "\fBunix:\fIfile\fR"
+Connect to the Unix domain server socket named \fIfile\fR.
+.RE
+.IP "\fB\-\-no\-wait\fR"
+Prevents \fBovs\-vsctl\fR from waiting for \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR to
+reconfigure itself according to the the modified database. This
+option should be used if \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is not running;
+otherwise, \fBovs-vsctl\fR will not exit until \fBovs-vswitchd\fR
+starts.
.IP
-If \fIfile\fR is specified as \fB\-\fR, then \fBovs\-vsctl\fR reads
-the configuration file from standard input and, for commands that
-modify the configuration, writes the new one to standard output. This
-is useful for testing but it should not be used in production because
-it bypasses the Open vSwitch configuration file locking protocol.
-.
-.IP "\fB\-t \fItarget\fR"
-.IQ "\fB\-\-target=\fItarget\fR"
-Configures how \fBovs\-vsctl\fR contacts \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR to
-instruct it to reload its configuration file.
-.IP
-If \fItarget\fR begins with \fB/\fR it must name a Unix domain socket
-on which \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is listening for control channel
-connections. By default, \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR listens on a Unix domain
-socket named \fB@RUNDIR@/ovs\-vswitchd.\fIpid\fB.ctl\fR, where
-\fIpid\fR is \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR's process ID.
-.IP
-Otherwise, \fBovs\-appctl\fR looks for a pidfile, that is, a file
-whose contents are the process ID of a running process as a decimal
-number, named \fB@RUNDIR@/\fItarget\fB.pid\fR. (The \fB\-\-pidfile\fR
-option makes an Open vSwitch daemon create a pidfile.)
-\fBovs\-appctl\fR reads the pidfile, then looks for a Unix socket
-named \fB@RUNDIR@/\fItarget\fB.\fIpid\fB.ctl\fR, where \fIpid\fR is
-replaced by the process ID read from \fItarget\fR, and uses that file
-as if it had been specified directly as the target.
-.IP
-The default target is \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR.
-.IP "\fB\-\-no\-reload\fR"
-Prevents \fBovs\-vsctl\fR from telling \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR to reload
-its configuration file.
+This option has no effect if the commands specified do not change the
+database.
.
.IP "\fB\-\-no\-syslog\fR"
By default, \fBovs\-vsctl\fR logs its arguments and the details of any
changes that it makes to the system log. This option disables this
logging.
+.IP
+This option is equivalent to \fB\-\-verbose=vvsctl:syslog:warn\fR.
+.
.IP "\fB\-\-oneline\fR"
Modifies the output format so that the output for each command is printed
on a single line. New-line characters that would otherwise separate
would otherwise appear in the output are doubled.
Prints a blank line for each command that has no output.
.
+.so lib/vlog.man
+.
.SH COMMANDS
The commands implemented by \fBovs\-vsctl\fR are described in the
sections below.
If \fIbridge\fR is a fake bridge, prints the name of its parent
bridge. If \fIbridge\fR is a real bridge, print \fIbridge\fR.
.
+.IP "\fBbr\-set\-external\-id \fIbridge key\fR [\fIvalue\fR]"
+Sets or clears an ``external ID'' value on \fIbridge\fR. These values
+are intended to identify entities external to Open vSwitch with which
+\fIbridge\fR is associated, e.g. the bridge's identifier in a
+virtualization management platform. The Open vSwitch database schema
+specifies well-known \fIkey\fR values, but \fIkey\fR and \fIvalue\fR
+are otherwise arbitrary strings.
+.IP
+If \fIvalue\fR is specified, then \fIkey\fR is set to \fIvalue\fR for
+\fIbridge\fR, overwriting any previous value. If \fIvalue\fR is
+omitted, then \fIkey\fR is removed from \fIbridge\fR's set of external
+IDs (if it was present).
+.
+.IP "\fBbr\-get\-external\-id \fIbridge\fR [\fIkey\fR]"
+Queries the external IDs on \fIbridge\fR. If \fIkey\fR is specified,
+the output is the value for that \fIkey\fR or the empty string if
+\fIkey\fR is unset. If \fIkey\fR is omitted, the output is
+\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR, one per line, for each key-value pair.
+.
.SS "Port Commands"
.
These commands examine and manipulate Open vSwitch ports. These
Prints the name of the bridge that contains \fIport\fR on standard
output.
.
+.IP "\fBport\-set\-external\-id \fIport key\fR [\fIvalue\fR]"
+Sets or clears an ``external ID'' value on \fIport\fR. These value
+are intended to identify entities external to Open vSwitch with which
+\fIport\fR is associated, e.g. the port's identifier in a
+virtualization management platform. The Open vSwitch database schema
+specifies well-known \fIkey\fR values, but \fIkey\fR and \fIvalue\fR
+are otherwise arbitrary strings.
+.IP
+If \fIvalue\fR is specified, then \fIkey\fR is set to \fIvalue\fR for
+\fIport\fR, overwriting any previous value. If \fIvalue\fR is
+omitted, then \fIkey\fR is removed from \fIport\fR's set of external
+IDs (if it was present).
+.
+.IP "\fBbr\-get\-external\-id \fIport\fR [\fIkey\fR]"
+Queries the external IDs on \fIport\fR. If \fIkey\fR is specified,
+the output is the value for that \fIkey\fR or the empty string if
+\fIkey\fR is unset. If \fIkey\fR is omitted, the output is
+\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR, one per line, for each key-value pair.
+.
.SS "Interface Commands"
.
These commands examine the interfaces attached to an Open vSwitch
.IP "\fBiface\-to\-br \fIiface\fR"
Prints the name of the bridge that contains \fIiface\fR on standard
output.
+.
+.IP "\fBiface\-set\-external\-id \fIiface key\fR [\fIvalue\fR]"
+Sets or clears an ``external ID'' value on \fIiface\fR. These value
+are intended to identify entities external to Open vSwitch with which
+\fIiface\fR is associated, e.g. the interface's identifier in a
+virtualization management platform. The Open vSwitch database schema
+specifies well-known \fIkey\fR values, but \fIkey\fR and \fIvalue\fR
+are otherwise arbitrary strings.
+.IP
+If \fIvalue\fR is specified, then \fIkey\fR is set to \fIvalue\fR for
+\fIiface\fR, overwriting any previous value. If \fIvalue\fR is
+omitted, then \fIkey\fR is removed from \fIiface\fR's set of external
+IDs (if it was present).
+.
+.IP "\fBbr\-get\-external\-id \fIiface\fR [\fIkey\fR]"
+Queries the external IDs on \fIiface\fR. If \fIkey\fR is specified,
+the output is the value for that \fIkey\fR or the empty string if
+\fIkey\fR is unset. If \fIkey\fR is omitted, the output is
+\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR, one per line, for each key-value pair.
+.
.SH "EXAMPLES"
Create a new bridge named br0 and add port eth0 to it:
.IP
bridge that does not exist.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.
-.BR ovs\-vswitchd.conf (5),
+.BR ovsdb\-server (1),
.BR ovs\-vswitchd (8).