Open vSwitch
Container networking software
DevOps software
Containerization software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if Open vSwitch and its alternatives fit your requirements.
Completely free
Free Trial unavailable
Free version
Small
Medium
Large
- Energy and utilities
- Transportation and logistics
- Real estate and property management
What is Open vSwitch
Open vSwitch (OVS) is an open-source multilayer virtual switch used to provide programmable network switching for virtual machines and containerized workloads. It is commonly deployed in Linux-based virtualization and cloud environments to implement virtual networking, overlays, and policy-driven traffic handling. OVS integrates with the Linux kernel datapath and supports OpenFlow and OVSDB for control-plane integration with SDN controllers and cloud networking stacks. It is typically used by platform and network engineers building or operating virtualized infrastructure rather than as a standalone container platform.
Programmable virtual switching
OVS provides a feature-rich virtual switch with flow-based forwarding and policy control suitable for multi-tenant virtual networks. It supports OpenFlow for programmable forwarding behavior and OVSDB for configuration and state management. This makes it useful when teams need more control than basic container networking plugins provide. It also fits environments that require integration with SDN control planes.
Kernel-accelerated datapath options
OVS can use the in-kernel datapath on Linux for efficient packet processing. It also supports userspace datapaths (including DPDK-based deployments) for high-throughput, low-latency scenarios where appropriate hardware and tuning are available. This flexibility helps operators choose between simplicity and performance optimization. It is commonly used in virtualized data center networking designs.
Broad ecosystem integration
OVS is widely integrated into cloud and virtualization stacks and is commonly used as a building block in larger networking solutions. It supports common tunneling and encapsulation approaches used for overlays (for example, VXLAN and Geneve) and standard Linux networking constructs. This makes it practical for heterogeneous environments that mix VMs, containers, and bare metal. Its long history results in extensive operational knowledge and tooling in the community.
Not a complete CNI solution
OVS is a virtual switch, not a full container networking stack by itself. In Kubernetes environments, teams typically need additional components (CNI plugins, controllers, and policy tooling) to deliver end-to-end cluster networking and network policy. This increases integration effort compared with turnkey container networking products. The operational boundary between OVS and higher-level networking components can be unclear for new adopters.
Operational complexity and tuning
Deploying and operating OVS at scale can require deep Linux networking expertise, especially when using advanced features like DPDK, bonding, or complex overlay topologies. Troubleshooting often involves multiple layers (kernel networking, OVS flows, encapsulation, and the control plane). Misconfiguration can lead to hard-to-diagnose performance or connectivity issues. Teams may need specialized runbooks and monitoring to operate it reliably.
Controller dependency for SDN use
Many advanced use cases rely on external controllers or cloud networking systems to program flows and manage topology. Without a controller, OVS can still bridge and switch traffic, but it may not deliver the centralized policy and automation expected in SDN designs. This can create vendor or architecture coupling to the chosen control-plane components. It also adds another system to secure, upgrade, and operate.
Plan & Pricing
Open vSwitch is an open-source project distributed under the Apache License 2.0. There are no subscription tiers or paid plans published on the official site; the software is available to download and use without cost.
Seller details
Open vSwitch (open-source project; originally developed at Nicira, acquired by VMware)
Open Source
https://www.openvswitch.org/
