+.SS "SSL Configuration"
+When \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is configured to connect over SSL for management or
+controller connectivity, the following parameters are required:
+.TP
+\fBprivate-key\fR
+Specifies a PEM file containing the private key used as the virtual
+switch's identity for SSL connections to the controller.
+.TP
+\fBcertificate\fR
+Specifies a PEM file containing a certificate, signed by the
+certificate authority (CA) used by the controller and manager, that
+certifies the virtual switch's private key, identifying a trustworthy
+switch.
+.TP
+\fBca-cert\fR
+Specifies a PEM file containing the CA certificate used to verify that
+the virtual switch is connected to a trustworthy controller.
+.PP
+These files are read only once, at \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR startup time. If
+their contents change, \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR must be killed and restarted.
+.PP
+These SSL settings apply to all SSL connections made by the virtual
+switch.
+.
+.IP "\fBget\-ssl\fR"
+Prints the SSL configuration.
+.
+.IP "\fBdel\-ssl\fR"
+Deletes the current SSL configuration.
+.
+.IP "[\fB\-\-bootstrap\fR] \fBset\-ssl\fR \fIprivate-key\fR \fIcertificate\fR \fIca-cert\fR"
+Sets the SSL configuration. The \fB\-\-bootstrap\fR option is described
+below.
+.
+.ST "CA Certificate Bootstrap"
+Ordinarily, all of the files named in the SSL configuration must exist
+when \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR starts. However, if the \fB\-\-bootstrap\fR
+option is given, then \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will attempt to obtain the
+CA certificate from the controller on its first SSL connection and
+save it to the named PEM file. If it is successful, it will
+immediately drop the connection and reconnect, and from then on all
+SSL connections must be authenticated by a certificate signed by the
+CA certificate thus obtained.
+.PP
+\fBThis option exposes the SSL connection to a man-in-the-middle
+attack obtaining the initial CA certificate\fR, but it may be useful
+for bootstrapping.
+.PP
+This option is only useful if the controller sends its CA certificate
+as part of the SSL certificate chain. The SSL protocol does not
+require the controller to send the CA certificate, but
+\fBcontroller\fR(8) can be configured to do so with the
+\fB--peer-ca-cert\fR option.
+.