vde_switch(1) [debian man page]

VDE_SWITCH(1)						      General Commands Manual						     VDE_SWITCH(1)

NAME

       vde_switch - Virtual Distributed Ethernet switch

SYNOPSIS

       vde_switch [ -hub ] [ -sock commdirpath ] [ -mod octal-mode ] [ -group NAME ] [ -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  proto-
       cols  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.

       vde-2 has several features: VLAN, Fast Spanning Tree Protocol, command line management (on console for foreground switches, on  a  terminal
       for  daemonized	switches).   If  a  vde_switch	run in foreground mode simply type return to have the prompt.  For daemons there is the -M
       option to specify the management socket. Unixterm is the tool to start a terminal for the management.  Type "help" at the prompt for a list
       of possible options.

OPTIONS

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

       -sock commdirpath
	      specify the directory when comm socket are created.  The default value is "/tmp/vde.ctl"

       -mod octalmode
	      specify the octal permissions for the comm sockets.

       -group NAME
	      specify the group owner for the comm socket.  The default value is the current user's primary group

       -tap interface
	      connect  the specified tuntap interface to this vde_switch (needs root privileges) It is possible to specify several tap interfaces,
	      comma separated.

       -daemon
	      Run as a daemon. Use syslog for logging.

       -f rcfile
	      rc file to set the initial switch configuration. This rc file has the same syntax of the command line interface.

       -h     help. Please use it for a more complete list of options.	vde_switch is a modular program, options vary depending of the compiled-in
	      modules.

NOTICE

       Virtual	Distributed  Ethernet is not related in any way with www.vde.com ("Verband der Elektrotechnik, Elektronik und Informationstechnik"
       i.e. the German "Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies").

SEE ALSO

       vde_plug(1), vde_plug2tap(1), vdeq(1), dpipe(1), unixterm(1).

AUTHOR

       VDE is a project by Renzo Davoli <renzo@cs.unibo.it>
       VDE started as an enhancement of uml_switch by Jeff Dike and others.  VDE-2 has been almost completely rewritten but maybe some	statements
       come from the historical source. So, some copyright and thanks also for Dike&Co.

Virtual Distributed Ethernet					 December 6, 2006						     VDE_SWITCH(1)

VDE_PLUG(1)						      General Commands Manual						       VDE_PLUG(1)

NAME

       vde_plug - Virtual Distributed Ethernet plug (two plugs creates a vde cable)

SYNOPSIS

       vde_plug [ -p portnum ] [ -g group ] [ -m octal-mode ] [ socketdir ]

DESCRIPTION

       A  vde_plug  is a plug to be connected into a VDE switch.  All the data that is catched by the plug is written in its stdout and everything
       from stdin is injected in the switch.

       This tool has been designed to be used together with dpipe (1) to interconnect a second vde_plug to another switch, working  as	a  virtual
       ethernet crossed cable between the two switches.

       The command
	      dpipe vde_plug = vde_plug /tmp/vde2.ctl
       connects two local switches: the former is using the standard control socket /tmp/vde.ctl while the latter is using /tmp/vde2.ctl.

       The command
	      dpipe vde_plug = ssh remote.machine.org vde_plug
       connects two remote switches.  If the two vde_switches run as daemon and they are connected to tap interfaces a level 2 encrypted tunnel is
       established.

       vde_plug can also be established as a login shell for users.  The following command works as in the previous example
	      dpipe vde_plug = ssh vdeuser@remote.machine.org vde_plug
       where vdeuser is the user with vde_plug as standard shell.  All the remote accesses are logged by syslog at the beginning and at the end of
       each  session.  Attempt to login without the command vde_plug at the end or trying to execute something else are blocked and the attempt is
       logged into syslog.

OPTIONS

       -p portnum
	      It is possible to decide which port of the switch to use.  When this option is not specified the switch assigns the first  available
	      unused  port  (if  any).	It is possible to connect several cables in the same switch port: in this way all this cables work concur-
	      rently.  It means that packet can result as duplicate but no ARP table loops are generated.  Is useful when vde is used  for  mobil-
	      ity. Several physical interfaces can be used at a time during handoffs to prevent hichups in connectivity.

       -g group
	      group  ownership	of the communication socket. For security when more want to share a switch it is better to use a unix group to own
	      the comm sockets so that the network traffic cannot be sniffed.

       -m octal-mode
	      octal chmod like permissions for the comm sockets

       socketdir
	      (This option can be also set as: -sock socketdir ) specify the directory which contains the UNIX socket to be used by local programs
	      for  joining  the VDE.  The default value is "/tmp/vde.ctl", which corresponds to the socket "/tmp/vde.ctl/ctl" (or /var/run/vde.ctl
	      when the vde_switch runs as a shared daemon).  It is possible for users to redefine their  default  switch  as  ".vde-2/stdsock"	in
	      their home directory. If exist, this directory (or symbolic link to the actual directory) is used as the default value for the user.

NOTICE

       Virtual	Distributed  Ethernet is not related in any way with www.vde.com ("Verband der Elektrotechnik, Elektronik und Informationstechnik"
       i.e. the German "Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies").

SEE ALSO

       vde_switch(1), vde_plug2tap(1), vdeq(1), dpipe(1).

AUTHOR

       VDE is a project by Renzo Davoli <renzo@cs.unibo.it>

Virtual Distributed Ethernet					 December 6, 2006						       VDE_PLUG(1)