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.
+This option is equivalent to \fB\-\-verbose=vsctl:syslog:warn\fR.
.
.IP "\fB\-\-oneline\fR"
Modifies the output format so that the output for each command is printed
lines are printed as \fB\\n\fR, and any instances of \fB\\\fR that
would otherwise appear in the output are doubled.
Prints a blank line for each command that has no output.
+This option does not affect the formatting of output from the
+\fBlist\fR or \fBfind\fR commands; see \fBTable Formatting Options\fR
+below.
.
.IP "\fB\-\-dry\-run\fR"
Prevents \fBovs\-vsctl\fR from actually modifying the database.
would normally happen only if the database cannot be contacted, or if
the system is overloaded.)
.
+.SS "Table Formatting Options"
+These options control the format of output from the \fBlist\fR and
+\fBfind\fR commands.
+.so lib/table.man
+.
.SS "Public Key Infrastructure Options"
.so lib/ssl.man
.so lib/ssl-bootstrap.man
.
.SS "Manager Connectivity"
.
-These commands manipulate the \fBmanagers\fR and \fBmanager_options\fR columns
-in the \fBOpen_vSwitch\fR table and rows in the \fBManagers\fR table. When
-\fBovsdb\-server\fR is configured to use those rows and columns for OVSDB
-connections, as described in \fBINSTALL.Linux\fR and in the startup scripts
-provided with Open vSwitch, this allows the administrator to use
+These commands manipulate the \fBmanager_options\fR column in the
+\fBOpen_vSwitch\fR table and rows in the \fBManagers\fR table. When
+\fBovsdb\-server\fR is configured to use the \fBmanager_options\fR column for
+OVSDB connections (as described in \fBINSTALL.Linux\fR and in the startup
+scripts provided with Open vSwitch), this allows the administrator to use
\fBovs\-vsctl\fR to configure database connections.
.
.IP "\fBget\-manager\fR"
When \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR is configured to connect over SSL for management or
controller connectivity, the following parameters are required:
.TP
-\fBprivate\-key\fR
+\fIprivate-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
+\fIcertificate\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
+\fIca-cert\fR
Specifies a PEM file containing the CA certificate used to verify that
the virtual switch is connected to a trustworthy controller.
.PP
.ST "CA Certificate Bootstrap"
.PP
Ordinarily, all of the files named in the SSL configuration must exist
-when \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR starts. However, if the \fB\-\-bootstrap\fR
+when \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR starts. However, if the \fIca-cert\fR file
+does not exist and 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
.IP "\fBInterface\fR"
A network device attached to a port. Records may be identified by
name.
+.IP "\fBQoS\fR"
+Quality-of-service configuration for a \fBPort\fR. Records may be
+identified by port name.
+.IP "\fBQueue\fR"
+Configuration for one queue within a \fBQoS\fR configuration. Records
+may only be identified by UUID.
+.IP "\fBMonitor\fR"
+Connectivity Monitoring attached to an \fBInterface\fR. Records may be
+identified by \fBInterface\fR name.
+.IP "\fBMaintenance_Point\fR"
+Maintenance Point managed by a \fBMonitor\fR.
.IP "\fBMirror\fR"
A port mirroring configuration attached to a bridge. Records may be
identified by mirror name.
.IP "\fBsFlow\fR"
An sFlow configuration attached to a bridge. Records may be
identified by bridge name.
-.IP "\fBMonitor\fR"
-Connectivity Monitoring attached to an interface. Records may be
-identified by interface name.
-.IP "\fBMaintenance_Point\fR"
-Maintenance Point managed by a Monitor.
.PP
Record names must be specified in full and with correct
capitalization. Names of tables and columns are not case-sensitive,
as well.
.
.ST "Database Command Syntax"
-.IP "\fBlist \fItable \fR[\fIrecord\fR]..."
-List the values of all columns of each specified \fIrecord\fR. If no
+.IP "[\fB\-\-columns=\fIcolumn\fR[\fB,\fIcolumn\fR]...] \fBlist \fItable \fR[\fIrecord\fR]..."
+Lists the data in each specified \fIrecord\fR. If no
records are specified, lists all the records in \fItable\fR.
.IP
+If \fB\-\-columns\fR is specified, only the requested columns are
+listed, in the specified order. Otherwise, all columns are listed, in
+alphabetical order by column name.
+.
+.IP "[\fB\-\-columns=\fIcolumn\fR[\fB,\fIcolumn\fR]...] \fBfind \fItable \fR[\fIcolumn\fR[\fB:\fIkey\fR]\fB=\fIvalue\fR]..."
+Lists the data in each record in \fItable\fR whose \fIcolumn\fR equals
+\fIvalue\fR or, if \fIkey\fR is specified, whose \fIcolumn\fR contains
+a \fIkey\fR with the specified \fIvalue\fR. Any of the operators
+\fB!=\fR, \fB<\fR, \fB>\fR, \fB<=\fR, or \fB>=\fR may be substituted
+for \fB=\fR to test for inequality, less than, greater than, less than
+or equal to, or greater than or equal to, respectively. (Don't forget
+to escape \fB<\fR or \fB>\fR from interpretation by the shell.)
+.IP
+If \fB\-\-columns\fR is specified, only the requested columns are
+listed, in the specified order. Otherwise all columns are listed, in
+alphabetical order by column name.
+.IP
The UUIDs shown for rows created in the same \fBovs\-vsctl\fR
invocation will be wrong.
.
referred to by that name elsewhere in the same \fBovs\-vsctl\fR
invocation in contexts where a UUID is expected. Such references may
precede or follow the \fBcreate\fR command.
+.IP
+Records in the Open vSwitch database are significant only when they
+can be reached directly or indirectly from the \fBOpen_vSwitch\fR
+table. Except for records in the \fBQoS\fR or \fBQueue\fR tables,
+records that are not reachable from the \fBOpen_vSwitch\fR table are
+automatically deleted from the database. This deletion happens
+immediately, without waiting for additional \fBovs\-vsctl\fR commands
+or other database activity. Thus, a \fBcreate\fR command must
+generally be accompanied by additional commands \fIwithin the same
+\fBovs\-vsctl\fI invocation\fR to add a chain of references to the
+newly created record from the top-level \fBOpen_vSwitch\fR record.
+The \fBEXAMPLES\fR section gives some examples that show how to do
+this.
.
.IP "\fR[\fB\-\-if\-exists\fR] \fBdestroy \fItable record\fR..."
Deletes each specified \fIrecord\fR from \fItable\fR. Unless
\fB\-\-if\-exists\fR is specified, each \fIrecord\fRs must exist.
+.IP
+It is often unnecessary to specify explicit \fBdestroy\fR commands,
+because (except for records in the \fBQoS\fR or \fBQueue\fR tables)
+records that are not reachable from the \fBOpen_vSwitch\fR table are
+automatically deleted from the database. This means that deleting the
+last reference to a record is sufficient for deleting the record
+itself. See the \fBEXAMPLES\fR section below for more information.
.
.IP "\fBwait\-until \fItable record \fR[\fIcolumn\fR[\fB:\fIkey\fR]\fB=\fIvalue\fR]..."
Waits until \fItable\fR contains a record named \fIrecord\fR whose
.IP
.B "\-\- \-\-id=@m create Mirror name=mymirror select-dst-port=@eth0,@eth1 select-src-port=@eth0,@eth1 output-port=@eth2"
.PP
-Remove the mirror created above from \fBbr0\fR and destroy the Mirror
-record (to avoid having an unreferenced record in the database):
+Remove the mirror created above from \fBbr0\fR, which also destroys
+the Mirror record (since it is now unreferenced):
.IP
-.B "ovs\-vsctl destroy Mirror mymirror \-\- clear Bridge br0 mirrors"
+.B "remove Bridge br0 mirrors mymirror"
.SS "Quality of Service (QoS)"
.PP
Create a \fBlinux\-htb\fR QoS record that points to a few queues and
.B "ovs\-vsctl clear Port eth1 qos"
.PP
To deconfigure the QoS record from both \fBeth0\fR and \fBeth1\fR and
-then delete the QoS record:
+then delete the QoS record (which must be done explicitly because
+unreferenced QoS records are not automatically destroyed):
.IP
.B "ovs\-vsctl \-\- destroy QoS eth0 \-\- clear Port eth0 qos \-\- clear Port eth1 qos"
.PP
.IP
.B "ovs\-vsctl set NetFlow br0 active_timeout=60"
.PP
-Deconfigure the NetFlow settings from \fBbr0\fR and delete the NetFlow
-record (to avoid having an unreferenced record in the database):
+Deconfigure the NetFlow settings from \fBbr0\fR, which also destroys
+the NetFlow record (since it is now unreferenced):
.IP
-.B "ovs\-vsctl destroy NetFlow br0 \-\- clear Bridge br0 netflow"
+.B "ovs\-vsctl clear Bridge br0 netflow"
.SS "sFlow"
.PP
Configure bridge \fBbr0\fR to send sFlow records to a collector on
.IP
.B "\-\- set Bridge br0 sflow=@s"
.PP
-Deconfigure sFlow from br0 and destroy the sFlow record (to avoid
-having an unreferenced record in the database):
+Deconfigure sFlow from br0, which also destroys the sFlow record
+(since it is now unreferenced):
.IP
-.B "ovs\-vsctl \-\- destroy sFlow br0 \-\- clear Bridge br0 sflow"
+.B "ovs\-vsctl \-\- clear Bridge br0 sflow"
.SH "EXIT STATUS"
.IP "0"
Successful program execution.
.
.BR ovsdb\-server (1),
.BR ovs\-vswitchd (8).
-\