NAME

vde_switch - Virtual Distributed Ethernet switch

SYNOPSIS

vde_switch [ -hub ] [ -sock socketpath ] [ -tap interface ] [ -daemon ]

DESCRIPTION

A vde_switch is a virtual switch for the vde architecture.
A vde network can include several vde_switches running on different (real) computers. vde_switches can be connected by vde cables (see vde_plug (1) ).
Supported architecture for VDE end nodes include: real linux boxes (through the tuntap interface), bochs, qemu and MPS virtual machines.
VDE is useful to create networks of heterogeneous virtual machines as well as as a general tunneling tool -- all the ethernet based protocols work by this kind of tunnel -- and also as a tool for mobility. In fact VDE creates an overlay network where users can keep their IP addresses despite of the change of IP addresses on the interfaces.

vde_switch needs root privileges to open a tap interface, can be run by users when no -tap option is specified.

OPTIONS

-hub,

turn off the switch engine. It operates as a hub.

-sock socketpath ,

specify the UNIX socket to be used by local programs for joining the VDE. The default value is "/tmp/vde.ctl"

-tap interface ,

connect the specified tuntap interface to this vde_switch (needs root privileges)

-daemon,

Run as a daemon. Use syslog for logging.

SEE ALSO

vde_plug(1), vdeq(1). dpipe(1).

AUTHOR

This code is based on uml_switch by Jeff Dike and others.
VDE is a project by Renzo Davoli <renzo@cs.unibo.it>