.TH ovs\-dpctl 8 "August 2009" "Open vSwitch" "Open vSwitch Manual"
.ds PN ovs\-dpctl
.
.SH NAME
ovs\-dpctl \- administer Open vSwitch datapaths
.
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B ovs\-dpctl
[\fIoptions\fR] \fIcommand \fR[\fIswitch\fR] [\fIargs\fR\&...]
.
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
The \fBovs\-dpctl\fR program can create, modify, and delete Open vSwitch
datapaths.  A single machine may host up to 256 datapaths (numbered 0
to 255).
.PP
A newly created datapath is associated with only one network device, a
virtual network device sometimes called the datapath's ``local port''.
A newly created datapath is not, however, associated with any of the
host's other network devices.  To intercept and process traffic on a
given network device, use the \fBadd\-if\fR command to explicitly add
that network device to the datapath.
.PP
If \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8) is in use, use \fBovs\-vsctl\fR(8) instead
of \fBovs\-dpctl\fR.
.PP
Most \fBovs\-dpctl\fR commands that work with datapaths take an
argument that specifies the name of the datapath.  Datapath names take
the form [\fItype\fB@\fR]\fIname\fR, where \fIname\fR is the network
device associated with the datapath's local port.  If \fItype\fR is
given, it specifies the datapath provider of \fIname\fR, otherwise the
default provider \fBsystem\fR is assumed.
.PP
The following commands manage datapaths.
.
.TP
\fBadd\-dp \fIdp\fR [\fInetdev\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]...]
Creates datapath \fIdp\fR, with a local port also named \fIdp\fR.
This will fail if a network device \fIdp\fR already exists.
.IP
If \fInetdev\fRs are specified, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR adds them to the
new datapath, just as if \fBadd\-if\fR was specified.
.
.TP
\fBdel\-dp \fIdp\fR
Deletes datapath \fIdp\fR.  If \fIdp\fR is associated with any network
devices, they are automatically removed.
.
.TP
\fBadd\-if \fIdp netdev\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]...
Adds each \fInetdev\fR to the set of network devices datapath
\fIdp\fR monitors, where \fIdp\fR is the name of an existing
datapath, and \fInetdev\fR is the name of one of the host's
network devices, e.g. \fBeth0\fR.  Once a network device has been added
to a datapath, the datapath has complete ownership of the network device's
traffic and the network device appears silent to the rest of the
system.
.IP
A \fInetdev\fR may be followed by a comma-separated list of options.
The following options are currently supported:
.
.RS
.IP "\fBtype=\fItype\fR"
Specifies the type of port to add.  The default type is \fBsystem\fR.
.IP "\fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR"
Adds an arbitrary key-value option to the port's configuration.
.RE
.IP
\fBovs\-vswitchd.conf.db\fR(5) documents the available port types and
options.
.
.IP "\fBset\-if \fIdp port\fR[\fB,\fIoption\fR]..."
Reconfigures each \fIport\fR in \fIdp\fR as specified.  An
\fIoption\fR of the form \fIkey\fB=\fIvalue\fR adds the specified
key-value option to the port or overrides an existing key's value.  An
\fIoption\fR of the form \fIkey\fB=\fR, that is, without a value,
deletes the key-value named \fIkey\fR.  The type of a port cannot be
changed, so \fBtype=\fItype\fR is only allowed if \fItype\fR is the
port's existing type.
.TP
\fBdel\-if \fIdp netdev\fR...
Removes each \fInetdev\fR from the list of network devices datapath
\fIdp\fR monitors.
.
.TP
\fBdump\-dps\fR
Prints the name of each configured datapath on a separate line.
.
.TP
[\fB\-s\fR | \fB\-\-statistics\fR] \fBshow \fR[\fIdp\fR...]
Prints a summary of configured datapaths, including their datapath
numbers and a list of ports connected to each datapath.  (The local
port is identified as port 0.)  If \fB\-s\fR or \fB\-\-statistics\fR
is specified, then packet and byte counters are also printed for each
port.
.IP
If one or more datapaths are specified, information on only those
datapaths are displayed.  Otherwise, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR displays information
about all configured datapaths.
.
.IP "\fBdump\-flows \fIdp\fR"
Prints to the console all flow entries in datapath \fIdp\fR's
flow table.
.IP
This command is primarily useful for debugging Open vSwitch.  The flow
table entries that it displays are not
OpenFlow flow entries.  Instead, they are different and considerably
simpler flows maintained by the Open vSwitch kernel module.
.IP "\fBdel\-flows \fIdp\fR"
Deletes all flow entries from datapath \fIdp\fR's flow table.
.IP
This command is primarily useful for debugging Open vSwitch.  As
discussed in \fBdump\-flows\fR, these entries are
not OpenFlow flow entries.  By deleting them, the process that set them
up may be confused about their disappearance.
.
.SH OPTIONS
.IP "\fB\-s\fR, \fB\-\-statistics\fR"
Causes the \fBshow\fR command to print packet and byte counters for
each port within the datapaths that it shows.
.TP
\fB\-t\fR, \fB\-\-timeout=\fIsecs\fR
Limits \fBovs\-dpctl\fR runtime to approximately \fIsecs\fR seconds.  If
the timeout expires, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR will exit with a \fBSIGALRM\fR
signal.
.
.so lib/vlog.man
.so lib/common.man
.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.
.BR ovs\-appctl (8),
.BR ovs\-vswitchd (8)