What is Open vSwitch?

Open vSwitch (OVS) is an open-source software defined networking (SDN) virtual switch. It's designed to enable massive network automation through programmatic extension, while still supporting standard management interfaces and protocols (e.g. NetFlow, sFlow, IPFIX, SPAN, RSPAN, CLI, LACP, 802.1ag). It is commonly used as a virtual switch in virtualization environments like Xen, KVM, and VirtualBox, and also increasingly used as a software switch within network hardware appliances. OVS allows for greater control and visibility over network traffic within virtualized environments.