X-Git-Url: https://pintos-os.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?a=blobdiff_plain;f=README;h=7c680d490036ef99f0ed15375fcbce9f9b97081a;hb=refs%2Fheads%2Fmanual;hp=146795bd491a8a1b8e73a7b313abcbf4ad85d35a;hpb=39fb08818bbd9c438dbf23caa89937c663451b5a;p=openvswitch diff --git a/README b/README index 146795bd..7c680d49 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ What is Open vSwitch? Open vSwitch is a multilayer software switch licensed under the open source Apache 2 license. Our goal is to implement a production quality switch platform that supports standard management interfaces -(e.g. NetFlow, RSPAN, ERSPAN, IOS-like CLI), and opens the forwarding -functions to programmatic extension and control. +and opens the forwarding functions to programmatic extension and +control. Open vSwitch is well suited to function as a virtual switch in VM environments. In addition to exposing standard control and visibility @@ -20,17 +20,26 @@ The bulk of the code is written in platform-independent C and is easily ported to other environments. The current release of Open vSwitch supports the following features: - * Visibility into inter-VM communication via NetFlow, SPAN, and RSPAN - * Standard 802.1Q VLAN model with trunking - * Per VM policing - * NIC bonding with source-MAC load balancing - * Kernel-based forwarding - * Support for OpenFlow - * Compatibility layer for the Linux bridging code - -Open vSwitch supports Linux 2.6.15 and up, with testing focused on -2.6.18 with Centos and Xen patches and version 2.6.26 from kernel.org. -Open vSwitch also has special support for Citrix XenServer hosts. + * Standard 802.1Q VLAN model with trunk and access ports + * NIC bonding with or without LACP on upstream switch + * NetFlow, sFlow(R), and mirroring for increased visibility + * QoS (Quality of Service) configuration, plus policing + * GRE, GRE over IPSEC, and CAPWAP tunneling + * 802.1ag connectivity fault management + * OpenFlow 1.0 plus numerous extensions + * Transactional configuration database with C and Python bindings + * Compatibility layer for Linux bridging code + * High-performance forwarding using a Linux kernel module + +The included Linux kernel module supports Linux 2.6.18 and up, with +testing focused on 2.6.32 with Centos and Xen patches. Open vSwitch +also has special support for Citrix XenServer and Red Hat Enterprise +Linux hosts. + +Open vSwitch can also operate, at a cost in performance, entirely in +userspace, without assistance from a kernel module. This userspace +implementation should be easier to port than the kernel-based switch. +It is considered experimental. What's here? ------------ @@ -40,6 +49,9 @@ The main components of this distribution are: * ovs-vswitchd, a daemon that implements the switch, along with a companion Linux kernel module for flow-based switching. + * ovsdb-server, a lightweight database server that ovs-vswitchd + queries to obtain its configuration. + * ovs-brcompatd, a daemon that allows ovs-vswitchd to act as a drop-in replacement for the Linux bridge in many environments, along with a companion Linux kernel module to intercept bridge @@ -47,19 +59,21 @@ The main components of this distribution are: * ovs-dpctl, a tool for configuring the switch kernel module. - * Scripts and specs for building RPMs that allow Open vSwitch - to be installed on a Citrix XenServer host as a drop-in - replacement for its switch, with additional functionality. + * Scripts and specs for building RPMs for Citrix XenServer and Red + Hat Enterprise Linux. The XenServer RPMs allow Open vSwitch to + be installed on a Citrix XenServer host as a drop-in replacement + for its switch, with additional functionality. - * ovs-appctl, a utility that can control Open vSwitch daemons, - adjusting their logging levels among other uses. + * ovs-vsctl, a utility for querying and updating the configuration + of ovs-vswitchd. -Open vSwitch also provides an OpenFlow implementation and tools for -those interested in OpenFlow but not additional Open vSwitch features: + * ovs-appctl, a utility that sends commands to running Open + vSwitch daemons. - * ovs-openflowd, a program that implements a simple OpenFlow - switch (without the special features provided by ovs-vswitchd) - using the same kernel module as ovs-vswitchd. + * ovsdbmonitor, a GUI tool for remotely viewing OVS databases and + OpenFlow flow tables. + +Open vSwitch also provides some tools: * ovs-controller, a simple OpenFlow controller. @@ -74,7 +88,9 @@ those interested in OpenFlow but not additional Open vSwitch features: What other documentation is available? -------------------------------------- -To install Open vSwitch on a regular Linux machine, read INSTALL.Linux. +To install Open vSwitch on a regular Linux machine, read INSTALL. + +For answers to common questions, read FAQ. To use Open vSwitch as a drop-in replacement for the Linux bridge, read INSTALL.bridge. @@ -82,7 +98,18 @@ read INSTALL.bridge. To build RPMs for installing Open vSwitch on a Citrix XenServer host or resource pool, read INSTALL.XenServer. -To learn set up SSL support for Open vSwitch, read INSTALL.SSL. +To build RPMs for installing Open vSwitch on a Red Hat Enterprise +Linux host, read INSTALL.RHEL. + +To use Open vSwitch with KVM on Linux, read INSTALL, then +INSTALL.KVM. + +To use Open vSwitch with Libvirt, read INSTALL.Libvirt. + +To install Open vSwitch without using a kernel module, read +INSTALL.userspace. + +To learn how to set up SSL support for Open vSwitch, read INSTALL.SSL. Each Open vSwitch userspace program is accompanied by a manpage. Many of the manpages are customized to your configuration as part of the