Learning OpenStack Networking - Third Edition

Using the Open vSwitch driver

The Open vSwitch mechanism driver supports a range of traditional and overlay networking technologies, and has support for the following types of drivers:

• Local
• Flat
• VLAN
• VXLAN
• GRE

Within OpenStack Networking, Open vSwitch operates as a software switch that uses virtual network bridges and flow rules to forward packets between hosts. Although it is capable of supporting many technologies and protocols, only a subset of Open vSwitch features are leveraged by OpenStack Networking.

The following are three main components of Open vSwitch:

• Kernel module: The openvswitch kernel module is the equivalent of ASICs on a hardware switch. It is the data plane of the switch where all packet processing takes place.
• vSwitch ...