.\" -*- nroff -*-
.TH ovsdb\-server 1 "November 2009" "Open vSwitch" "Open vSwitch Manual"
+.\" This program's name:
.ds PN ovsdb\-server
+.\" SSL peer program's name:
+.ds SN ovsdb\-client
.
.SH NAME
ovsdb\-server \- Open vSwitch database server
.
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBovsdb\-server\fR
-\fIdatabase\fR
-[\fB--remote=\fIremote\fR]\&...
-[\fB--run=\fIcommand\fR]
+[\fIdatabase\fR]
+[\fB\-\-remote=\fIremote\fR]\&...
+[\fB\-\-run=\fIcommand\fR]
.so lib/daemon-syn.man
.so lib/vlog-syn.man
+.so lib/ssl-syn.man
+.so lib/ssl-bootstrap-syn.man
+.so lib/unixctl-syn.man
.so lib/common-syn.man
.
.SH DESCRIPTION
vSwitch database (OVSDB). It supports JSON-RPC client connections
over active or passive TCP/IP or Unix domain sockets.
.PP
-The name of the OVSDB file must be specified on the command line as
-\fIdatabase\fR, which must already have been created and initialized
-using, for example, \fBovsdb\-tool create\fR.
+The OVSDB file may be specified on the command line as \fIdatabase\fR.
+The default is \fB@sysconfdir@/openvswitch/conf.db\fR. The database
+file must already have been created and initialized using, for
+example, \fBovsdb\-tool create\fR.
.
.SH OPTIONS
.
.
.IP "\fBdb:\fItable\fB,\fIcolumn\fR"
Reads additional connection methods from \fIcolumn\fR in all of the
-rows in \fItable\fR within the \fBovsdb\-server\fR database. The
-\fIcolumn\fR must have type string or set of strings. The connection
-methods in the column must have one of the forms described above. As
-the contents of \fIcolumn\fR changes, \fBovsdb\-server\fR also adds
-and drops connection methods accordingly.
+rows in \fItable\fR. As the contents of \fIcolumn\fR changes,
+\fBovsdb\-server\fR also adds and drops connection methods
+accordingly.
+.IP
+If \fIcolumn\fR's type is string or set of strings, then the
+connection methods are taken directly from the column. The connection
+methods in the column must have one of the forms described above.
+.IP
+If \fIcolumn\fR's type is UUID or set of UUIDs and references a table,
+then each UUID is looked up in the referenced table to obtain a row.
+The following columns in the row, if present and of the correct type,
+configure a connection method. Any additional columns are ignored.
+.RS
+.IP "\fBtarget\fR (string)"
+Connection method, in one of the forms described above. This column
+is mandatory: if it is missing or empty then no connection method can
+be configured.
+.IP "\fBmax_backoff\fR (integer)"
+Maximum number of milliseconds to wait between connection attempts.
+.IP "\fBinactivity_probe\fR (integer)
+Maximum number of milliseconds of idle time on connection to
+client before sending an inactivity probe message.
+.RE
+.IP
+It is an error for \fIcolumn\fR to have another type.
.RE
.
.IP "\fB\-\-run=\fIcommand\fR]"
.IP
This option can be useful where a database server is needed only to
run a single command, e.g.:
-.B "ovsdb-server --remote=punix:socket --run='ovsdb-client dump unix:socket Open_vSwitch'"
+.B "ovsdb\-server \-\-remote=punix:socket \-\-run='ovsdb\-client dump unix:socket Open_vSwitch'"
.SS "Daemon Options"
+.ds DD \
+\fBovsdb\-server\fR detaches only after it starts listening on all \
+configured remotes.
.so lib/daemon.man
.SS "Logging Options"
.so lib/vlog.man
.so lib/ssl.man
.so lib/ssl-bootstrap.man
.SS "Other Options"
+.so lib/unixctl.man
.so lib/common.man
.SH "RUNTIME MANAGEMENT COMMANDS"
\fBovs\-appctl\fR(8) can send commands to a running
\fBovsdb\-server\fR process. The currently supported commands are
described below.
-.SS "OVSDB-SERVER COMMANDS"
+.SS "OVSDB\-SERVER COMMANDS"
These commands are specific to \fBovsdb\-server\fR.
.IP "\fBexit\fR"
Causes \fBovsdb\-server\fR to gracefully terminate.
-.IP "\fBovsdb-server/compact\fR"
+.IP "\fBovsdb\-server/compact\fR"
Compacts the database in-place. The database is also automatically
compacted occasionally.
+.
+.IP "\fBovsdb\-server/reconnect\fR"
+Makes \fBovsdb\-server\fR drop all of the JSON\-RPC
+connections to database clients and reconnect.
+.IP
+This command might be useful for debugging issues with database
+clients.
+.
.so lib/vlog-unixctl.man
+.so lib/memory-unixctl.man
+.so lib/coverage-unixctl.man
+.so lib/stress-unixctl.man
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.
.BR ovsdb\-tool (1).