# openvswitch/ovs

Open vSwitch

Repository: https://github.com/openvswitch/ovs
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/ovs
Language: C
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Last push: 2026-08-17T19:56:42+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 76/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 98, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4536, "days_push": 16, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4007, forks 2013 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:32.209119+00:00)

## What it is
Open vSwitch is a production-quality multilayer software switch designed for virtualized server environments, written primarily in C. It supports OpenFlow, standard management interfaces, tunneling protocols, and programmatic extension of forwarding functions across distributed physical servers.

## Use cases
- run a virtual switch for KVM VMs
- implement SDN with OpenFlow
- set up VXLAN or GRE tunneling between hosts
- monitor network traffic with NetFlow or sFlow
- configure QoS and NIC bonding
- build a userspace datapath with DPDK

## When to choose
- you need a programmable virtual switch for VM or container networking
- you want OpenFlow support and SDN integration
- you need distributed switching across multiple physical servers
- you require tunneling protocols like Geneve, VXLAN, or GRE

## When to avoid
- you need a simple hardware-independent home router
- you want a pure userspace solution with maximum performance without DPDK
- you need a switch for non-Linux embedded devices without porting effort

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: stable
- function: networking, monitoring, caching, database, cli
- domain: networking, cloud-computing, infrastructure-as-code, microservices
- platform: cpp, c, cross-platform, self-hosted
- tags: openflow, virtual-switch, sdn, kvm, vxlan, dpdk, ovsdb, network-virtualization, virtualization, linux

## Member repositories
- openvswitch/ovs (main) score 76

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:32.209119+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:24:03.594998+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/openvswitch/ovs (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:32.209119+00:00, sha db9aa354294b)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.