6 .TH ovs\-dpctl 8 "August 2009" "Open vSwitch" "Open vSwitch Manual"
10 ovs\-dpctl \- administer Open vSwitch datapaths
14 [\fIoptions\fR] \fIcommand \fR[\fIswitch\fR] [\fIargs\fR\&...]
18 The \fBovs\-dpctl\fR program can create, modify, and delete Open vSwitch
19 datapaths. A single machine may host any number of datapaths.
21 A newly created datapath is associated with only one network device, a
22 virtual network device sometimes called the datapath's ``local port''.
23 A newly created datapath is not, however, associated with any of the
24 host's other network devices. To intercept and process traffic on a
25 given network device, use the \fBadd\-if\fR command to explicitly add
26 that network device to the datapath.
28 If \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8) is in use, use \fBovs\-vsctl\fR(8) instead
31 Most \fBovs\-dpctl\fR commands that work with datapaths take an
32 argument that specifies the name of the datapath. Datapath names take
33 the form [\fItype\fB@\fR]\fIname\fR, where \fIname\fR is the network
34 device associated with the datapath's local port. If \fItype\fR is
35 given, it specifies the datapath provider of \fIname\fR, otherwise the
36 default provider \fBsystem\fR is assumed.
38 The following commands manage datapaths.
41 \fBadd\-dp \fIdp\fR [\fInetdev\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]...]
42 Creates datapath \fIdp\fR, with a local port also named \fIdp\fR.
43 This will fail if a network device \fIdp\fR already exists.
45 If \fInetdev\fRs are specified, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR adds them to the
46 new datapath, just as if \fBadd\-if\fR was specified.
50 Deletes datapath \fIdp\fR. If \fIdp\fR is associated with any network
51 devices, they are automatically removed.
54 \fBadd\-if \fIdp netdev\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]...
55 Adds each \fInetdev\fR to the set of network devices datapath
56 \fIdp\fR monitors, where \fIdp\fR is the name of an existing
57 datapath, and \fInetdev\fR is the name of one of the host's
58 network devices, e.g. \fBeth0\fR. Once a network device has been added
59 to a datapath, the datapath has complete ownership of the network device's
60 traffic and the network device appears silent to the rest of the
63 A \fInetdev\fR may be followed by a comma-separated list of options.
64 The following options are currently supported:
67 .IP "\fBtype=\fItype\fR"
68 Specifies the type of port to add. The default type is \fBsystem\fR.
69 .IP "\fBport_no=\fIport\fR"
70 Requests a specific port number within the datapath. If this option is
71 not specified then one will be automatically assigned.
72 .IP "\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR"
73 Adds an arbitrary key-value option to the port's configuration.
76 \fBovs\-vswitchd.conf.db\fR(5) documents the available port types and
79 .IP "\fBset\-if \fIdp port\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]..."
80 Reconfigures each \fIport\fR in \fIdp\fR as specified. An
81 \fIoption\fR of the form \fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR adds the specified
82 key-value option to the port or overrides an existing key's value. An
83 \fIoption\fR of the form \fIkey\fB=\fR, that is, without a value,
84 deletes the key-value named \fIkey\fR. The type and port number of a
85 port cannot be changed, so \fBtype\fR and \fBport_no\fR are only allowed if
86 they match the existing configuration.
88 \fBdel\-if \fIdp netdev\fR...
89 Removes each \fInetdev\fR from the list of network devices datapath
94 Prints the name of each configured datapath on a separate line.
97 [\fB\-s\fR | \fB\-\-statistics\fR] \fBshow \fR[\fIdp\fR...]
98 Prints a summary of configured datapaths, including their datapath
99 numbers and a list of ports connected to each datapath. (The local
100 port is identified as port 0.) If \fB\-s\fR or \fB\-\-statistics\fR
101 is specified, then packet and byte counters are also printed for each
104 If one or more datapaths are specified, information on only those
105 datapaths are displayed. Otherwise, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR displays information
106 about all configured datapaths.
108 .IP "\fBdump\-flows \fIdp\fR"
109 Prints to the console all flow entries in datapath \fIdp\fR's
112 This command is primarily useful for debugging Open vSwitch. The flow
113 table entries that it displays are not
114 OpenFlow flow entries. Instead, they are different and considerably
115 simpler flows maintained by the Open vSwitch kernel module.
116 .IP "\fBdel\-flows \fIdp\fR"
117 Deletes all flow entries from datapath \fIdp\fR's flow table.
119 This command is primarily useful for debugging Open vSwitch. As
120 discussed in \fBdump\-flows\fR, these entries are
121 not OpenFlow flow entries. By deleting them, the process that set them
122 up may be confused about their disappearance.
126 .IQ "\fB\-\-statistics\fR"
127 Causes the \fBshow\fR command to print packet and byte counters for
128 each port within the datapaths that it shows.
131 .IQ "\fB\-\-timeout=\fIsecs\fR"
132 Limits \fBovs\-dpctl\fR runtime to approximately \fIsecs\fR seconds. If
133 the timeout expires, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR will exit with a \fBSIGALRM\fR
142 .BR ovs\-vswitchd (8)