NAME

       vde_plug - Virtual Distributed Ethernet plug (two plugs creates a vde cable)

SYNOPSIS

       vde_plug [ -p portnum ] [ -g group ] [ -m octal-mode ] [ socketdir ]

DESCRIPTION

       A  vde_plug  is a plug to be connected into a VDE switch.  All the data that is catched by
       the plug is written in its stdout and everything from stdin is injected in the switch.

       This tool has been designed to be used together with dpipe (1) to  interconnect  a  second
       vde_plug  to  another  switch, working as a virtual ethernet crossed cable between the two
       switches.

       The command
              dpipe vde_plug = vde_plug /tmp/vde2.ctl
       connects two local switches: the former is using the standard control socket  /tmp/vde.ctl
       while the latter is using /tmp/vde2.ctl.

       The command
              dpipe vde_plug = ssh remote.machine.org vde_plug
       connects  two  remote  switches.   If  the  two  vde_switches  run  as daemon and they are
       connected to tap interfaces a level 2 encrypted tunnel is established.

       vde_plug can also be established as a login shell for users.  The following command  works
       as in the previous example
              dpipe vde_plug = ssh vdeuser@remote.machine.org vde_plug
       where  vdeuser  is  the user with vde_plug as standard shell.  All the remote accesses are
       logged by syslog at the beginning and at the  end  of  each  session.   Attempt  to  login
       without  the  command  vde_plug at the end or trying to execute something else are blocked
       and the attempt is logged into syslog.

OPTIONS

       -p portnum
              It is possible to decide which port of the switch to use.  When this option is  not
              specified  the  switch  assigns  the  first  available unused port (if any).  It is
              possible to connect several cables in the same switch port: in this  way  all  this
              cables  work concurrently.  It means that packet can result as duplicate but no ARP
              table loops are generated.  Is useful  when  vde  is  used  for  mobility.  Several
              physical  interfaces  can  be  used at a time during handoffs to prevent hichups in
              connectivity.

       -g group
              group ownership of the communication socket. For security when more want to share a
              switch it is better to use a unix group to own the comm sockets so that the network
              traffic cannot be sniffed.

       -m octal-mode
              octal chmod like permissions for the comm sockets

       socketdir
              (This option can be also set as: -sock socketdir  )  specify  the  directory  which
              contains  the  UNIX  socket  to be used by local programs for joining the VDE.  The
              default value is "/tmp/vde.ctl", which corresponds to the socket "/tmp/vde.ctl/ctl"
              (or  /var/run/vde.ctl when the vde_switch runs as a shared daemon).  It is possible
              for users to redefine their  default  switch  as  ".vde-2/stdsock"  in  their  home
              directory.  If  exist, this directory (or symbolic link to the actual directory) is
              used as the default value for the user.

NOTICE

       Virtual Distributed Ethernet is not related in any  way  with  www.vde.com  ("Verband  der
       Elektrotechnik,  Elektronik  und  Informationstechnik"  i.e.  the  German "Association for
       Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies").

SEE ALSO

       vde_switch(1), vde_plug2tap(1), vdeq(1), dpipe(1).

AUTHOR

       VDE is a project by Renzo Davoli <renzo@cs.unibo.it>