[ovs-discuss] simulate a physical machine as a switch using openvswitch

[Ben Pfaff]

On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 11:57:08AM +0530, nisha goyal wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 8:56 PM, Ben Pfaff <blp at nicira.com> wrote:
> 
> > On Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 04:58:40PM +0530, nisha goyal wrote:
> > > I have a query regarding openvswitch. I know that openvswitch can be used
> > > as a virtual switch to connect the vms.But is it possible to configure a
> > > physical machine(with two or more NICs) to be used as a switch using
> > > openvswitch? If it's possible, then what is the way to go ahead with it?
> >
> > Yes, just add multiple NICs to an OVS bridge.
> >
> > > Is there any documentation available on it?
> >
> > What do you want to know?
> >
> I want to simulate an environment where I want to treat one of my physical
> machine(with 2 or more NICs) as a physical switch between two other
> physical machines. I don't know how to configure this. As you say above, I
> got that on the machine which is to be treated as a switch should have an
> openvswitch installation and that an openvswitch bridge needs to be
> configured with the NICs as ports.
> 
> 
> But I don't know if I need to have a openvswitch installation on the other
> two physical machines as well? 

Not normally.  When you connect physical machines to an ordinary switch,
you don't need any special software on the machines.  The same is true
for software switches.

> I am really not clear about it. Can you point me to some place where I
> can find this or a similar thing documented?

It would be hard to make a comprehensive list of everything you don't
need to do to use Open vSwitch.