X-Git-Url: http://git.onelab.eu/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=README;h=881a113437a0fed1e62561ab7746736526d11965;hb=refs%2Fheads%2Forig-parallel;hp=1fa27ba2bf24cf28c3564a83b220b0984567108a;hpb=5fca1acd934c87b4ea4e47ff24235343b6db3035;p=sliver-openvswitch.git

diff --git a/README b/README
index 1fa27ba2b..881a11343 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -3,23 +3,41 @@
 What is Open vSwitch?
 ---------------------
 
-Open vSwitch is a versatile software-based Ethernet switch with the 
-following features:
-
-	* NIC bonding with automatic fail-over and source MAC-based TX
-	  load balancing ("SLB").
-
-	* 802.1Q VLAN support.
-
-	* Port mirroring, with optional VLAN tagging.
-
-	* NetFlow v5 flow logging.
-
-	* Connectivity to an external OpenFlow controller, such as NOX.
-
-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.
+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, sFlow(R), RSPAN, ERSPAN, IOS-like CLI), 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
+interfaces to the virtual networking layer, it was designed to support
+distribution across multiple physical servers.  Open vSwitch supports
+multiple Linux-based virtualization technologies including
+Xen/XenServer, KVM, and VirtualBox.
+
+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, sFlow, 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
+
+The included Linux kernel module 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.
+
+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?
 ------------
@@ -29,6 +47,9 @@ 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 
@@ -40,8 +61,14 @@ The main components of this distribution are:
       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.
+
+    * ovs-appctl, a utility that sends commands to running Open
+      vSwitch daemons.
+
+    * ovsdbmonitor, a GUI tool for remotely viewing OVS databases and
+      OpenFlow flow tables.
 
 Open vSwitch also provides an OpenFlow implementation and tools for
 those interested in OpenFlow but not additional Open vSwitch features:
@@ -71,6 +98,12 @@ read INSTALL.bridge.
 To build RPMs for installing Open vSwitch on a Citrix XenServer host
 or resource pool, read INSTALL.XenServer.
 
+To use Open vSwitch with KVM on Linux, read INSTALL.Linux, then
+INSTALL.KVM.
+
+To install Open vSwitch without using a kernel module, read
+INSTALL.userspace.
+
 To learn set up SSL support for Open vSwitch, read INSTALL.SSL.
 
 Each Open vSwitch userspace program is accompanied by a manpage.  Many