OVS-L3PING(8)                    Open vSwitch                    OVS-L3PING(8)

NAME
       ovs-l3ping - check network deployment for L3 tunneling problems

SYNOPSIS
       ovs-l3ping -s <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>] -t <tunnelmode>

       ovs-l3ping  -s  <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>][:<ControlPort>]  -t
       <tunnelmode>

       ovs-l3ping  -c  <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>],<RemoteInnerIP>  -t
       <tunnelmode>

       ovs-l3ping -c <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>][:<ControlPort>[:<Dat‐
       aPort>]],<RemoteInnerIP>[:<ControlPort>[:<DataPort>]]  [-b <targetband‐
       width>] [-i <testinterval>] -t <tunnelmode>

       ovs-l3ping -h | --help

       ovs-l3ping -V | --version

DESCRIPTION
       The ovs-l3ping program may be used to check for problems that could  be
       caused  by invalid routing policy, misconfigured firewall in the tunnel
       path or a bad NIC driver.  On one  of  the  nodes,  run  ovs-l3ping  in
       server  mode  and  on the other node run it in client mode.  The client
       and server will establish L3 tunnel, over which client will  give  fur‐
       ther  testing  instructions. The ovs-l3ping client will perform UDP and
       TCP tests.  This tool is different from ovs-test that  it  encapsulates
       XML/RPC control connection over the tunnel, so there is no need to open
       special holes in firewall.

       UDP  tests  can  report  packet loss and achieved bandwidth for various
       datagram sizes. By default target bandwidth for UDP tests is 1Mbit/s.

       TCP tests report only achieved  bandwidth,  because  kernel  TCP  stack
       takes care of flow control and packet loss.

   Client Mode
       An ovs-l3ping client will create a L3 tunnel and connect over it to the
       ovs-l3ping  server  to  schedule  the  tests.   <TunnelRemoteIP> is the
       peer’s IP address, where tunnel will be terminated.  <InnerIP>  is  the
       address  that  will  be  temporarily assigned during testing.  All test
       traffic originating from this IP address to the <RemoteInnerIP> will be
       tunneled.  It is possible to override default <ControlPort> and  <Data‐
       Port>,  if there is any other application that already listens on those
       two ports.

   Server Mode
       To conduct tests, ovs-l3ping server must be running.   It  is  required
       that both client and server <InnerIP> addresses are in the same subnet.
       It is possible to specify <InnerIP> with netmask in CIDR format.

OPTIONS
       One of -s or -c is required.  The -t option is also required.

       • -s  <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>][:<ControlPort>]  or  --server
         <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>][:<ControlPort>]

         Run in server mode and create L3 tunnel with the client that will  be
         accepting  tunnel  at  <TunnelRemoteIP>  address.  The socket on <In‐
         nerIP>[:<ControlPort>] will be used to receive  further  instructions
         from the client.

       • -c         <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>][:<ControlPort>[:<Data‐
         Port>]],<RemoteInnerIP>[:<ControlPort>[:<DataPort>]]   or    --client
         <TunnelRemoteIP>,<InnerIP>[/<mask>][:<ControlPort>[:<DataPort>]],<Re‐
         moteInnerIP>[:<ControlPort>[:<DataPort>]]

         Run in client mode and create L3 tunnel with the server on <TunnelRe‐
         moteIP>.  The client will use <InnerIP> to generate test traffic with
         the server’s <RemoteInnerIP>.

       • -b <targetbandwidth> or --bandwidth <targetbandwidth>

         Target  bandwidth  for UDP tests. The <targetbandwidth> must be given
         in bits per second.  Use postfix M or K to alter the target bandwidth
         magnitude.

       • -i <testinterval> or --interval <testinterval>

         How long each test should run. By default 5 seconds.

       • -t <tunnelmode> or --tunnel-mode <tunnelmode>

         Specify the tunnel type. This option must match on server and client.

       • -h or --help

         Prints a brief help message to the console.

       • -V or --version

         Prints version information to the console.

EXAMPLES
       On host 192.168.122.220 start ovs-l3ping in server mode.  This  command
       will  create  a  temporary GRE tunnel with the host 192.168.122.236 and
       assign 10.1.1.1/28 as the inner IP address, where client will  have  to
       connect:

          ovs-l3ping -s 192.168.122.236,10.1.1.1/28 -t gre

       On  host 192.168.122.236 start ovs-l3ping in client mode.  This command
       will use 10.1.1.2/28 as the local inner IP  address  and  will  connect
       over the L3 tunnel to the server’s inner IP address at 10.1.1.1:

          ovs-l3ping -c 192.168.122.220,10.1.1.2/28,10.1.1.1 -t gre

SEE ALSO
       ovs-vswitchd(8),    ovs-ofctl(8),    ovs-vsctl(8),    ovs-vlan-test(8),
       ovs-test(8), ethtool(8), uname(1).

AUTHOR
       The Open vSwitch Development Community

COPYRIGHT
       2016-2024, The Open vSwitch Development Community


3.6                              Aug 18, 2025                    OVS-L3PING(8)