Introduction to Open vSwitch (OVS)

An Introduction to Open vSwitch (OVS).
Twitter: @davidmahler

Links:

Commands used in this video:
#show ovs current config summary
ovs-vsctl show

#add a bridge
ovs-vsctl add-br mybridge

#turn up mybridge interface
ifconfig mybridge up

#add eth0
ovs-vsctl add-port mybridge eth0

#remove eth0's IP addressing
ifconfig eth0 0

#make mybridge interface get a DHCP IP
dhclient mybridge

#add tap interfaces
ip tuntap add mode tap vport1
ip tuntap add mode tap vport 2

#add tap interfaces to mybridge
ovs-vsctl add-port mybridge vport1 -- add-port mybridge vport2

#view forwarding table (mac address table)
ovs-appctl fdb/show

#see mapping of OpenFlow ports to system ports
ovs-ofctl show mybridge

#see flow entries (OpenFlow) on mybridge
ovs-ofctl dump-flows mybridge

#see records in ovsdb-server tables
ovs-vsctl list Bridge
ovs-vsctl list Port
ovs-vsctl list Interface

[JayLooney]

I feel like it's important to explain that all the commands are just abbreviations of what they are for 'ovs-vsctl' is for Open vSwitch Virtual Switch Control. I think it helps people to remember better and also helps provide some intuition and insight as to what certain commands might do based on what they are called.

[PetterBruland]

Thank you for taking the time to create this video and share it with us. Excellent brief explanation, and now I understand why I lost connectivity to my remote box when setting up OVS.

[matscloud]

THE best OVS intro I've seen so far... right now I see that I was confusing some cocepts, it just all came together now... Thanks!

[GRAFFDEMON]

This video helped me so much. HOURS I looked for guides thinking I installed it wrong, configured the bridge wrong. But nope. I forgot to add the tap ports to the virtual bridge.

Thank you a ton for this video. I'd hug you if I could.

[steveinbox]

I am completely new to this but I wanted to say thank you so much for making this great easy to digest video. Explaining the the disconnect part was huge. I also wanted to add this in case someone else new needed it. To configure the mybridge with a static ip. You will should use the below.

1. Assign static ip to mybridge - #sudo ip addr add <IP ADDRESS>/<CIDR> dev mybridge
2. Set the default gateway to via mybridge - #sudo route add default gw <IP OF GATEWAY> mybridge
3. You may need to remove the eth0/ens default gateway route to ensure the only default route uses mybridge to go to the gateway

* I found this because I am trying to learn how to configure openvswitch for lacp with some vm's in vmware. If anyone has any videos like this showing how to do this that would be great
*Also if anyone knows offhand how to configure the settings I posted so that they persist upon reboot that would be cool (I am using ubuntu 20.04). vport1 and vport2 also don't persist reboot

[HcJP]

this is the best explanation i have seen so far, already known some stuff but the way you explained it was excelent, still helping people 10 years later so thanks

[cbaxtermusic]

dude you are making this too easy to understand, GREAT

[sanshrestha]

Thanks for a great tutorial David. 

To all the viewers following this tutorial, just want to inform that you will encounter a problem if you try to assign wireless interface instead of wired interface(eth0) to open vswitch. When you start the VM, you will lost internet connectivity. Try using wired interface to make it work.

[srinivaspithani]

What a way to explain such a complex concept for a newbie like me .. can't expect more than this. Thanks for sharing Dave ...well done.

[jeffbrl]

David, thanks for creating this tutorial. Your presentation style makes the content easy to follow.

[sivanin]

Awesome explanation.... I was actually struggling for a working example to make use of OVS to throttle internet traffic for end user VMS. You just gave it... Many thanks...

[Akshatha]

Thank you, David. Immense respect for your presentation technique and eloquence. You inspire me to learn more and dig deeper to understand the core concepts behind these awesome technologies. I cannot stress the importance of the inspiration you provide. As an intern who wishes to excel in the networking field, it is deeply valuable.

[pranaypallavtripathi]

This was brilliant. Even though my knowledge of networking is very basic, I could understand everything except the openflow and kernel module part. Thank you so much. Please keep making videos like this. Subscribed 👍

[PrayingForYourWellBeing]

One of the excellent informational videos i have ever found with such great vocational and presentation skills. Great clarity. Thanks David !!!

[davidcaughey]

Excellent work, well presented by someone who has an obvious passion for what they do. I really appreciate these David.

Well done hats of to ya

[buttegowda]

Dear Sir, One of the best presentations O have ever seen. Thanks for your help.

[wanderer-]

Very good video. Easy to follow and put in terms most people can understand. Well done, and thank you for making it.

[ReubenUrRahman]

I am new to networking domain, But your video is very helpful and easy to understand for target audiences like me. Thank you for sharing !

[PETAJOULE]

Open vSwitch explained well (it is Switch that utilize OpenFlow concepts) and also practical implementation with these command lines. As default implementation, it work like regular layer 2 switch. But we can modify it further to get SDN capabilities.

[Javier_FH]

Thanks a lot for the explanation David. I love the way explain such a complex subject (at least for me). I wish there would be a revisited version, since many of the commands have changed, but I also understand it is a huge effort. Anyway, once more thank you very much for your clear explanations. Now if the whole exercise works in my machine, I'll be the happiest man in the world :P