[vbox-dev] [PATCH] VDE native support for VirtualBox v0.1

[Renzo Davoli]

On Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 03:48:34PM -0400, Alexey Eremenko wrote:
> Hi All !
> 
> It is very good to have this technology integrated ! Thanks Renzo !
> so I decided to give it a shot, .. I gave it a test run, and happy about it !
Thank you!
> 
> Overall outlook:
> 1. This works !!! I have 2 VMs speaking with each other over 1 VDE switch.
I hoped so.... ;-)
> 
> 2. VirtualBox built script integration
> At first VDE doesn't seem to compile (at least configuration script
> doesn't display it)
> However, the output of "./configure --disable-hardening" never mentions VDE.
> I would like to see that it looks for VDE, and which version of VDE
> found on host, if any.
This is in some sense a choice. VDE support can be compiled also on machines
where VDE is not currently installed.
In other words VirtualBOX has not a dependency on VDE.
> 
> 3. "FlexiNetwork" feature of VirtualBox does not work with VDE... i.e.
> I cannot hot-plug/hot-unplug NICs from/to VDE switches...
> After Hot-unplagged my VM from VDE switch "vde1", the switch still
> shows it as active.
As soon as I have a spare minute, I'll try to understand what is going on.
Thank you for this report.
> 
> 4. About VDE itself: [feature-request] to improve it's command shell
> Very nice technology -but-
> *please* make the shell remember last commands... so pressing the "up"
> arrow will give me previous command, like in Linux's GNU "bash".
> It will make my life _a lot_ easier. Probably I should report it to
> VDE bugzilla...
We have not added the readline support on the switch to keep the code
of the switch itself simpler (and faster).
However, you can define a management socket (this is very nice if you run 
your vde switch as a daemon) e.g.:
	vde_switch -M /path/of/the/mgmt/socket -daemon 
then you can use:
	vdeterm /path/of/the/mgmt/socket
you'll have full command editing including history scan by arrows up and
down and command complention.
There is also a web/telnet management interface for the switch named
vdetelweb. vdetelweb is connected to the management socket and as a
client (usually to port 0).
using the telnet interface you can configure your switch from the virtual
network itself. telnet has command editing, too.
vdetelweb supports both ipv4 and ipv6.

ciao
	renzo