. ns
. IP "\\$1"
..
+.de ST
+. PP
+. RS -0.15in
+. I "\\$1"
+. RE
+. PP
+..
.TH ovs\-vsctl 8 "November 2009" "Open vSwitch" "Open vSwitch Manual"
.ds PN ovs\-vsctl
.
ovs\-vsctl \- utility for querying and configuring \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR
.
.SH SYNOPSIS
-\fBovs\-vsctl\fR [\fIoptions\fR] \fIcommand \fR[\fIargs\fR\&...]
+\fBovs\-vsctl\fR [\fIoptions\fR] [\fB\-\-\fR] \fIcommand \fR[\fIargs\fR\&...]
[\fB\-\-\fR \fIcommand \fR[\fIargs\fR\&...]]
.
.SH DESCRIPTION
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.
+.PP
+\fBovs\-vsctl\fR can perform any number of commands in a single run,
+implemented as a single atomic transaction against the database.
+Commands are separated on the command line by \fB\-\-\fR arguments.
.
.SS "Linux VLAN Bridging Compatibility"
The \fBovs\-vsctl\fR program supports the model of a bridge
.
.SH OPTIONS
.
-The following options affect the general outline of \fBovs\-vsctl\fR's
-activities:
+The following options affect the behavior \fBovs\-vsctl\fR as a whole.
+Some individual commands also accept their own options, which are
+given just before the command name. If the first command on the
+command line has options, then those options must be separated from
+the global options by \fB\-\-\fR.
.
.IP "\fB\-\-db=\fIserver\fR"
Sets \fIserver\fR as the database server that \fBovs\-vsctl\fR
\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.
+.so ovsdb/remote-active.man
.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
would otherwise appear in the output are doubled.
Prints a blank line for each command that has no output.
.
+.IP "\fB\-\-dry\-run\fR"
+Prevents \fBovs\-vsctl\fR from actually modifying the database.
+.
+.IP "\fB-t \fIsecs\fR"
+.IQ "\fB--timeout=\fIsecs\fR"
+Limits runtime to approximately \fIsecs\fR seconds. A value of
+zero will cause \fBovs\-vsctl\fR to wait forever. If the timeout expires,
+\fBovs\-vsctl\fR will exit with a \fBSIGALRM\fR signal. If this option is
+not used, \fBovs\-vsctl\fR uses a timeout of five seconds.
+(A timeout would normally happen only if the database cannot be contacted.)
+.
+.so lib/ssl.man
.so lib/vlog.man
.
.SH COMMANDS
The commands implemented by \fBovs\-vsctl\fR are described in the
sections below.
+.SS "Open vSwitch Commands"
+These commands work with an Open vSwitch as a whole.
+.
+.IP "\fBinit\fR"
+Initializes the Open vSwitch database, if it is empty. If the
+database has already been initialized, this command has no effect.
+.IP
+Any successful \fBovs\-vsctl\fR command automatically initializes the
+Open vSwitch database if it is empty. This command is provided to
+initialize the database without executing any other command.
.
.SS "Bridge Commands"
These commands examine and manipulate Open vSwitch bridges.
\fIvlan\fR, which must be an integer between 1 and 4095. Initially
\fIbridge\fR will have no ports (other than \fIbridge\fR itself).
.
-.IP "\fBdel\-br \fIbridge\fR"
+.IP "[\fB\-\-if\-exists\fR] \fBdel\-br \fIbridge\fR"
Deletes \fIbridge\fR and all of its ports. If \fIbridge\fR is a real
bridge, this command also deletes any fake bridges that were created
with \fIbridge\fR as parent, including all of their ports.
+.IP
+Without \fB\-\-if\-exists\fR, attempting to delete a bridge that does
+not exist is an error. With \fB\-\-if\-exists\fR, attempting to
+delete a bridge that does not exist has no effect.
.
.IP "\fBlist\-br\fR"
Lists all existing real and fake bridges on standard output, one per
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
together the network devices given as each \fIiface\fR. At least two
interfaces must be named.
.
-.IP "\fBdel\-port \fR[\fIbridge\fR] \fIport\fR"
+.IP "[\fB\-\-if\-exists\fR] \fBdel\-port \fR[\fIbridge\fR] \fIport\fR"
Deletes \fIport\fR. If \fIbridge\fR is omitted, \fIport\fR is removed
from whatever bridge contains it; if \fIbridge\fR is specified, it
must be the real or fake bridge that contains \fIport\fR.
+.IP
+Without \fB\-\-if\-exists\fR, attempting to delete a port that does
+not exist is an error. With \fB\-\-if\-exists\fR, attempting to
+delete a port that does not exist has no effect.
.
.IP "\fBport\-to\-br \fIport\fR"
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.
+.
+.SS "OpenFlow Controller Connectivity"
+.
+\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR can perform all configured bridging and switching
+locally, or it can be configured to connect a given bridge to an
+external OpenFlow controller, such as NOX.
+.
+If a \fIbridge\fR argument is given, the settings apply only to the
+specified bridge. Otherwise, they apply to the Open vSwitch instance,
+and its configuration applies to any bridge that has not been explicitly
+configured through a \fIbridge\fR argument.
+.
+.IP "\fBget\-controller\fR [\fIbridge\fR]"
+Prints the configured controller target.
+.
+.IP "\fBdel\-controller\fR [\fIbridge\fR]"
+Deletes the configured controller target.
+.
+.IP "\fBset\-controller\fR [\fIbridge\fR] \fItarget\fR"
+Sets the configured controller target. The \fItarget\fR may use any of
+the following forms:
+.
+.RS
+.TP
+.so lib/vconn-active.man
+.RE
+.
+.ST "Controller Failure Settings"
+.
+When a controller is configured, it is, ordinarily, responsible for
+setting up all flows on the switch. Thus, if the connection to
+the controller fails, no new network connections can be set up. If
+the connection to the controller stays down long enough, no packets
+can pass through the switch at all.
+.ST
+If the value is \fBstandalone\fR, or if neither of these settings
+is set, \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will take over
+responsibility for setting up
+flows when no message has been received from the controller for three
+times the inactivity probe interval (xxx needs to be exposed). In this mode,
+\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR causes the datapath to act like an ordinary
+MAC-learning switch. \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will continue to retry connecting
+to the controller in the background and, when the connection succeeds,
+it discontinues its standalone behavior.
+.ST
+If this option is set to \fBsecure\fR, \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR will not
+set up flows on its own when the controller connection fails.
+.
+.IP "\fBget\-fail\-mode\fR [\fIbridge\fR]"
+Prints the configured failure mode.
+.
+.IP "\fBdel\-fail\-mode\fR [\fIbridge\fR]"
+Deletes the configured failure mode.
+.
+.IP "\fBset\-fail\-mode\fR [\fIbridge\fR] \fBstandalone\fR|\fBsecure\fR"
+Sets the configured failure mode.
+.
+.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.
+.
.SH "EXAMPLES"
Create a new bridge named br0 and add port eth0 to it:
.IP
Alternatively, perform both operations in a single atomic transaction:
.IP
.B "ovs-vsctl add\-br br0 \-\- add\-port br0 eth0"
+.PP
+Delete bridge \fBbr0\fR, reporting an error if it does not exist:
+.IP
+.B "ovs\-vsctl del\-br br0"
+.PP
+Delete bridge \fBbr0\fR if it exists (the \fB\-\-\fR is required to
+separate \fBdel\-br\fR's options from the global options):
+.IP
+.B "ovs\-vsctl \-\- \-\-if\-exists del\-br br0"
.
.SH "EXIT STATUS"
.IP "0"
projects / openvswitch / blobdiff