Support vlan_group workaround implemented in XenServer kernels.

[sliver-openvswitch.git] / INSTALL.Linux

diff --git a/INSTALL.Linux b/INSTALL.Linux
index 8ae7aac..0d56da6 100644 (file)
--- a/INSTALL.Linux
+++ b/INSTALL.Linux
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 This document describes how to build and install Open vSwitch on a
 generic Linux host.  If you want to install Open vSwitch on a Citrix
 
 This document describes how to build and install Open vSwitch on a
 generic Linux host.  If you want to install Open vSwitch on a Citrix

-XenServer version 5.5.0, see INSTALL.XenServer instead.
+XenServer, see INSTALL.XenServer instead.

 
 This version of Open vSwitch may be built manually with "configure"
 and "make", as described below.  You may also build Debian packages by
 
 This version of Open vSwitch may be built manually with "configure"
 and "make", as described below.  You may also build Debian packages by


@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ you will need the following software:
     - The GNU C compiler.  We generally test with version 4.1, 4.2, or
       4.3.
 
     - The GNU C compiler.  We generally test with version 4.1, 4.2, or
       4.3.
 

+    - pkg-config.  We test with version 0.22.
+

     - libssl, from OpenSSL, is optional but recommended if you plan to
       connect the Open vSwitch to an OpenFlow controller.  libssl is
       required to establish confidentiality and authenticity in the
     - libssl, from OpenSSL, is optional but recommended if you plan to
       connect the Open vSwitch to an OpenFlow controller.  libssl is
       required to establish confidentiality and authenticity in the


@@ -72,8 +74,6 @@ you will also need the following software:
 
     - Automake version 1.10 or later.
 
 
     - Automake version 1.10 or later.
 

-    - pkg-config.  We test with version 0.22.
-

     - Python 2.x, for x >= 4.
 
 If you modify the ovsdbmonitor tool, then you will also need the
     - Python 2.x, for x >= 4.
 
 If you modify the ovsdbmonitor tool, then you will also need the


@@ -227,9 +227,22 @@ Prerequisites section, follow the procedure below to build.
         module loading, please include the output from the "dmesg" and
         "modinfo" commands mentioned above.
 
         module loading, please include the output from the "dmesg" and
         "modinfo" commands mentioned above.
 

+   There is an optional module parameter to openvswitch_mod.ko called
+   vlan_tso that enables TCP segmentation offload over VLANs on NICs
+   that support it. Many drivers do not expose support for TSO on VLANs
+   in a way that Open vSwitch can use but there is no way to detect
+   whether this is the case. If you know that your particular driver can
+   handle it (for example by testing sending large TCP packets over VLANs)
+   then passing in a value of 1 may improve performance. Modules built for
+   Linux kernels 2.6.37 and later, as well as specially patched versions
+   of earlier kernels, do not need this and do not have this parameter. If
+   you do not understand what this means or do not know if your driver
+   will work, do not set this.
+

 7. Initialize the configuration database using ovsdb-tool, e.g.:
 
 7. Initialize the configuration database using ovsdb-tool, e.g.:
 

-      % ovsdb-tool create /usr/local/etc/ovs-vswitchd.conf.db vswitchd/vswitch.ovsschema
+      % mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/openvswitch
+      % ovsdb-tool create /usr/local/etc/openvswitch/conf.db vswitchd/vswitch.ovsschema

 
 Startup
 =======
 
 Startup
 =======


@@ -242,12 +255,13 @@ installation, above, to listen on a Unix domain socket, to connect to
 any managers specified in the database itself, and to use the SSL
 configuration in the database:
 
 any managers specified in the database itself, and to use the SSL
 configuration in the database:
 

-      % ovsdb-server /usr/local/etc/ovs-vswitchd.conf.db \
+      % ovsdb-server /usr/local/etc/openvswitch/conf.db \

                       --remote=punix:/usr/local/var/run/openvswitch/db.sock \
                       --remote=punix:/usr/local/var/run/openvswitch/db.sock \

-                      --remote=db:Open_vSwitch,managers \
+                      --remote=db:Open_vSwitch,manager_options \

                       --private-key=db:SSL,private_key \
                       --certificate=db:SSL,certificate \
                       --private-key=db:SSL,private_key \
                       --certificate=db:SSL,certificate \

-                      --bootstrap-ca-cert=db:SSL,ca_cert
+                      --bootstrap-ca-cert=db:SSL,ca_cert \
+                      --pidfile --detach

 
 Then initialize the database using ovs-vsctl.  This is only
 necessary the first time after you create the database with
 
 Then initialize the database using ovs-vsctl.  This is only
 necessary the first time after you create the database with


@@ -258,7 +272,8 @@ ovsdb-tool (but running it at any time is harmless):
 Then start the main Open vSwitch daemon, telling it to connect to the
 same Unix domain socket:
 
 Then start the main Open vSwitch daemon, telling it to connect to the
 same Unix domain socket:
 

-      % ovs-vswitchd unix:/usr/local/var/run/openvswitch/db.sock
+      % ovs-vswitchd unix:/usr/local/var/run/openvswitch/db.sock \
+            --pidfile --detach 

 
 Now you may use ovs-vsctl to set up bridges and other Open vSwitch
 features.  For example, to create a bridge named br0 and add ports
 
 Now you may use ovs-vsctl to set up bridges and other Open vSwitch
 features.  For example, to create a bridge named br0 and add ports


@@ -270,6 +285,33 @@ eth0 and vif1.0 to it:
 
 Please refer to ovs-vsctl(8) for more details.
 
 
 Please refer to ovs-vsctl(8) for more details.
 

+Upgrading
+=========
+
+When you upgrade Open vSwitch from one version to another, you should
+also upgrade the database schema:
+
+1. Stop the Open vSwitch daemons, e.g.:
+
+      % kill `cd /usr/local/var/run && cat ovsdb-server.pid ovs-vswitchd.pid`
+
+2. Install the new Open vSwitch release.
+
+3. Upgrade the database, in one of the following two ways:
+
+      - If there is no important data in your database, then you may
+        delete the database file and recreate it with ovsdb-tool,
+        following the instructions under "Building and Installing Open
+        vSwitch for Linux".
+
+      - If you want to preserve the contents of your database, back it
+        up first, then use "ovsdb-tool convert" to upgrade it, e.g.:
+
+        % ovsdb-tool convert /usr/local/etc/openvswitch/conf.db vswitchd/vswitch.ovsschema
+
+4. Start the Open vSwitch daemons as described under "Building and
+   Installing Open vSwitch for Linux" above.
+

 Bug Reporting
 -------------
 
 Bug Reporting
 -------------