Overview

Indigo Virtual Switch (IVS) is an open source virtual switch for Linux compatible with the KVM hypervisor and leveraging the Open vSwitch kernel module for packet forwarding. IVS is built on the Indigo Framework and leverages LoxiGen generated code (loci) to handle OpenFlow messages.

The project is distributed under the EPL open source license and is maintained by a community of developers and engineers at Big Switch Networks.

Why IVS?

IVS is a lightweight, high-performance vSwitch built from the ground up to support the OpenFlow protocol. It is designed to enable high-scale network virtualization applications and supports distribution across multiple physical servers using an OpenFlow enabled controller, similar to VMware’s vNetwork, Cisco’s Nexus or Open vSwitch.

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.

System Architecture

This diagram illustrates a high level component architecture of the virtual switch system. The “Indigo” box represents the Indigo Framework.

Get IVS and Documentation

Indigo Virtual Switch source code and installation instructions can be downloaded on Github here.

Indigo Virtual Switch documentation can be found here.