What is Open vSwitch?

Open vSwitch is an open-source multi-layer virtual switch released in 2009. It is also abbreviated as OVS.
For a better understanding, we can say that it creates a virtual switch on the Linux server.

It is used in most of our Open vSwitch network systems. Today, we see it in many of the systems such as VM (virtualization technologies such as VMware, KVM, Xen), Openstack, Docker, Kubernetes. I am not even talking about SDN (Software Defined Networking) part !! For example, if you are opening a VM, you can make VM's network communication with Open vSwitch. We can use it in container systems such as Docker and Kubernetes. In Openstack, you can make the network structure with Open vSwitch and install the SDN structure with Neutron.

Linux runs in a Windows environment. Unfortunately, Mac OS / OSX does not support it.

Let's see what you can do with the protocols it supports now.
Protocols Supported

Netflow
sFlow
SPA
the RSP
CLI
LACP
GRE
the VXL

Netflow is a protocol for monitoring network traffic by collecting outgoing or incoming traffic through a switch developed by Cisco. The protocol covers layers after Layer 2.

It allows us to monitor the traffic passing through the switch such as Sflow Netflow. There is no stateful structure like flow Netflow. It does not observe all traffic, it only takes sampling. It extracts a certain statistic of traffic. Selects random packages while sampling. Using the sampling system does not pose a problem when it is used in systems with high-speed data transfer. It works in L2, L3, L4, and L7 layers.

SPAN (Switched Port Analyzer) and RSPAN (Remote Switched Port Analyzer) these protocols are used to analyze the traffic we want to control the port or vale by sending a copy to a port or vale to observe the network. SPAN can be used on a single device and RSPAN remote devices.

With Open vSwitch CLI, we can control and manage our network system.

LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) Thanks to this protocol, it shows multiple physical connections as a single line. Thanks to LACP, we can increase my bandwidth and provide a physical redundancy.

GRE (Generic Routing Encapsulation) is a 3rd layer tunneling protocol developed by Cisco.

VXLAN is an overlay network technology. VXLAN is a network virtualization technique designed for a solution to the scalability problems of networks in large-scale cloud computing systems. While Vlan provides 4094 (2¹²) scaling. In VXLAN, it provides 16777216 (2²⁴) scaling.

As we have seen, OVS supports many protocols. These protocols also reveal the features it supports.

Also, I repeat once again OVS is an important component used in the SDN (Software-Defined Network) infrastructure. For example, Netflow protocol SDN is used to monitor the network.