Basic Commands¶

create db schema

Reads an OVSDB schema from the file named schema and creates a new OVSDB database file named db using that schema. The new database is initially empty. This command will not overwrite an existing db.

schema must contain an OVSDB schema in JSON format. Refer to the OVSDB specification for details.

compact db [target]

Reads db and writes a compacted version. If target is specified, the compacted version is written as a new file named target, which must not already exist. If target is omitted, then the compacted version of the database replaces db in-place.

convert db schema [target]

Reads db, translating it into to the schema specified in schema, and writes out the new interpretation. If target is specified, the translated version is written as a new file named target, which must not already exist. If target is omitted, then the translated version of the database replaces db in-place.

This command can do simple ``upgrades'' and ``downgrades'' on a database's schema. The data in db must be valid when interpreted under schema, with only one exception: data in db for tables and columns that do not exist in schema are ignored. Columns that exist in schema but not in db are set to their default values. All of schema's constraints apply in full.

needs-conversion db schema

Reads the schema embedded in db and the standalone schema in schema and compares them. If the schemas are the same, prints no on stdout; if they differ, print yes.

db-version db

schema-version schema

Prints the version number in the schema embedded within the database db or in the standalone schema schema on stdout. A schema version number has the form x.y.z. See ovs-vswitchd.conf.db(5) for details.

Schema version numbers and Open vSwitch version numbers are independent.

If schema or db was created before schema versioning was introduced, then it will not have a version number and this command will print a blank line.

db-cksum db

schema-cksum schema

Prints the checksum in the schema embedded within the database db or of the standalone schema schema on stdout.

If schema or db was created before schema checksums were introduced, then it will not have a checksum and this command will print a blank line.

query db transaction

Opens db, executes transaction on it, and prints the results. The transaction must be a JSON array in the format of the params array for the JSON-RPC transact method, as described in the OVSDB specification.

The db is opened for read-only access, so this command may safely run concurrently with other database activity, including ovsdb-server and other database writers. The transaction may specify database modifications, but these will have no effect on db.

transact db transaction

Opens db, executes transaction on it, prints the results, and commits any changes to db. The transaction must be a JSON array in the format of the params array for the JSON-RPC transact method, as described in the OVSDB specification.

The db is opened and locked for read/write access, so this command will fail if the database is opened for writing by any other process, including ovsdb-server(1). Use ovsdb-client(1), instead, to write to a database that is served by ovsdb-server(1).

show-log db

Prints a summary of the records in db's log, including the time and date at which each database change occurred and any associated comment. This may be useful for debugging.

To increase the verbosity of output, add -m (or --more) one or more times to the command line. With one -m, show-log prints a summary of the records added, deleted, or modified by each transaction. With two -ms, show-log also prints the values of the columns modified by each change to a record.

Logging Options¶

-v[spec]

--verbose=[spec]

Sets logging levels. Without any spec, sets the log level for every module and facility to dbg. Otherwise, spec is a list of words separated by spaces or commas or colons, up to one from each category below:

Case is not significant within spec.

Regardless of the log levels set for file, logging to a file will not take place unless --log-file is also specified (see below).

For compatibility with older versions of OVS, any is accepted as a word but has no effect.

-v

--verbose

Sets the maximum logging verbosity level, equivalent to --verbose=dbg.

-vPATTERN:facility:pattern

--verbose=PATTERN:facility:pattern

Sets the log pattern for facility to pattern. Refer to ovs-appctl(8) for a description of the valid syntax for pattern.

--log-file[=file]

Enables logging to a file. If file is specified, then it is used as the exact name for the log file. The default log file name used if file is omitted is /var/log/openvswitch/ovsdb-tool.log.

Other Options¶

-h

--help

Prints a brief help message to the console.

-V

--version

Prints version information to the console.