I hope this email finds you well. My name is Da Ming, and I am a university student from China. I am currently exploring Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and have been learning how to use Open vSwitch as part of my studies. While I have successfully used Open vSwitch on Linux, I am very eager to set it up and run it on Windows. First, I would like to express my admiration for the excellent work your team has done in developing and maintaining Open vSwitch. The availability of a directly installable .msi file is incredibly helpful for Windows users like myself. However, I have encountered some issues during usage on Windows and would greatly appreciate your guidance. Below are the details:
Environment: • Operating Systems: Windows 10 Professional, Windows 11 Professional, and Windows Server 2022. • Open vSwitch Version: Installed via openvswitch-hyperv-installer-2.9.msi.
Problem Description: 1. I attempted to create a bridge using the following command: ovs-vsctl add-br ovs o The command does not terminate and can only be manually interrupted using Ctrl+C. o After interruption, I confirmed the bridge creation using: ovs-vsctl show ovs The bridge is listed as created, but shortly afterward, the ovs-vswitchd daemon shuts down automatically. 2. Subsequent attempts to view flow tables fail. For example: ovs-ofctl dump-flows ovs This command does not work because the ovs-vswitchd daemon is no longer running. 3. Checking logs reveals the following messages: 2024-11-22T16:33:00.467Z|00006|memory|INFO|8264 kB peak resident set size after 14.2 seconds 2024-11-22T16:33:00.467Z|00007|dpif_netlink|INFO|The kernel module does not support meters. 4. Additional commands for diagnostic purposes return the following errors: o Running ovs-dpctl show: ovs-dpctl: lost communication with the kernel device o Running ovs-appctl dpif/show produces no output.
Suspected Cause: Based on the logs and behavior, I suspect that the issue may be related to the kernel module. It seems the module is either not properly loaded or is incompatible with the installed Open vSwitch version.
My Background and Motivation: As a university student deeply interested in SDN, I have been learning how to use Open vSwitch to gain hands-on experience. While it has been smooth sailing on Linux, I am particularly interested in using Open vSwitch on Windows to broaden my knowledge and explore its capabilities in different environments. I am aware that compiling Open vSwitch from source on Windows can be challenging, which makes me truly appreciate the .msi installer provided by your team. However, I have encountered these issues despite using the installer and would be very grateful for your assistance.
Request for Assistance: Could you kindly help address the following: 1. Why does the ovs-vswitchd daemon shut down automatically after creating a bridge? Could this issue be related to the version of the Windows operating system I am using? Alternatively, could it be due to the kernel module not being installed correctly? 2. How can I verify whether the kernel module is correctly installed and loaded? If it's an issue, how can I resolve it? 3. How can I ensure commands like ovs-vsctl add-br and ovs-dpctl work without issues in this environment? I look forward to your response and guidance on resolving these issues. Thank you again for your hard work on Open vSwitch, and I hope to learn more from this experience.
Best regards, DaMing Wang Date: November 23, 2024
