.so lib/ovs.tmac
.TH ovs\-dpctl 8 "@VERSION@" "Open vSwitch" "Open vSwitch Manual"
.ds PN ovs\-dpctl
.
.SH NAME
ovs\-dpctl \- administer Open vSwitch datapaths
.
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B ovs\-dpctl
[\fIoptions\fR] \fIcommand \fR[\fIswitch\fR] [\fIargs\fR\&...]
.
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
The \fBovs\-dpctl\fR program can create, modify, and delete Open vSwitch
datapaths.  A single machine may host any number of datapaths.
.PP
This program works only with datapaths that are implemented outside of
\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR itself, such as the Linux and Windows kernel-based
datapaths.  To manage datapaths that are integrated into
\fBovs\-vswitchd\fR, such as the userspace (\fBnetdev\fR) datapath,
use \fBovs\-appctl\fR(8) to invoke the \fBdpctl/*\fR commands, which
are documented in \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8).
.PP
A newly created datapath is associated with only one network device, a
virtual network device sometimes called the datapath's ``local port''.
A newly created datapath is not, however, associated with any of the
host's other network devices.  To intercept and process traffic on a
given network device, use the \fBadd\-if\fR command to explicitly add
that network device to the datapath.
.PP
If \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR(8) is in use, use \fBovs\-vsctl\fR(8) instead
of \fBovs\-dpctl\fR.
.PP
Most \fBovs\-dpctl\fR commands that work with datapaths take an
argument that specifies the name of the datapath.  Datapath names take
the form [\fItype\fB@\fR]\fIname\fR, where \fIname\fR is the network
device associated with the datapath's local port.  If \fItype\fR is
given, it specifies the datapath provider of \fIname\fR, otherwise the
default provider \fBsystem\fR is assumed.
.PP
The following commands manage datapaths.
.
.ds DX
.de DO
\\$1 \\$2 \\$3
..
.so lib/dpctl.man
.
.SH OPTIONS
.IP "\fB\-t\fR"
.IQ "\fB\-\-timeout=\fIsecs\fR"
Limits \fBovs\-dpctl\fR runtime to approximately \fIsecs\fR seconds.  If
the timeout expires, \fBovs\-dpctl\fR will exit with a \fBSIGALRM\fR
signal.
.
.so lib/vlog.man
.so lib/common.man
.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.
.BR ovs\-appctl (8),
.BR ovs\-vswitchd (8)