X-Git-Url: http://git.onelab.eu/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=README;h=881a113437a0fed1e62561ab7746736526d11965;hb=refs%2Fheads%2Forig-parallel;hp=7311292b6b9cfc6e9548cb244c8df929cb64e8c3;hpb=4b11d5e8d34655977d716cbdba504528aa866997;p=sliver-openvswitch.git diff --git a/README b/README index 7311292b6..881a11343 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -3,76 +3,107 @@ What is Open vSwitch? --------------------- -Open vSwitch is an Ethernet switch for virtual servers 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? ------------ The main components of this distribution are: - - ovs-vswitchd, a daemon that implements the virtual switch, - along with a companion Linux kernel module for flow-based - switching. + * ovs-vswitchd, a daemon that implements the switch, along with + a companion Linux kernel module for flow-based switching. - - 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 ioctls. + * ovsdb-server, a lightweight database server that ovs-vswitchd + queries to obtain its configuration. - - ovs-dpctl, a tool for configuring the virtual switch kernel - module. + * 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 + ioctls. - - 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 virtual switch, with additional - functionality. + * ovs-dpctl, a tool for configuring the switch kernel module. - - vlog-appctl, a utility that can control Open vSwitch daemons, - adjusting their logging levels among other uses. + * 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. + + * 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: - - secchan, a program that implements a simple OpenFlow switch - (without the special features provided by ovs-vswitchd) using - the same kernel module as ovs-vswitchd. + * 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. - - ovs-controller, a simple OpenFlow controller. + * ovs-controller, a simple OpenFlow controller. - - ovs-ofctl, a utility for querying and controlling OpenFlow - switches and controllers. + * ovs-ofctl, a utility for querying and controlling OpenFlow + switches and controllers. - - ovs-pki, a utility for creating and managing the public-key - infrastructure for OpenFlow switches. + * ovs-pki, a utility for creating and managing the public-key + infrastructure for OpenFlow switches. - - A patch to tcpdump that enables it to parse OpenFlow - messages. + * A patch to tcpdump that enables it to parse OpenFlow messages. What other documentation is available? -------------------------------------- To install Open vSwitch on a regular Linux machine, read INSTALL.Linux. +To use Open vSwitch as a drop-in replacement for the Linux bridge, +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 @@ -83,5 +114,5 @@ the manpages. Contact ------- -ovs-bugs@openvswitch.org +bugs@openvswitch.org http://openvswitch.org/