---
name: "ovs-tcpdump"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "openvswitch-switch"
version: "3.5.0-1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ovs-tcpdump"
---

# ovs-tcpdump(8)

Dump traffic from an Open vSwitch port using tcpdump

## NAME

ovs-tcpdump - Dump traffic from an Open vSwitch port using tcpdump

## SYNOPSIS

**ovs-tcpdump -i \<port\> \<tcpdump options\>...**

## DESCRIPTION

**ovs-tcpdump** creates switch mirror ports in the **ovs-vswitchd** daemon and executes **tcpdump** to listen against those ports. When the **tcpdump** instance exits, it then cleans up the mirror port it created.

**ovs-tcpdump** will not allow multiple mirrors for the same port. It has some logic to parse the current configuration and prevent duplicate mirrors.

The **-i** option may not appear multiple times.

It is important to note that under Linux-based kernels, tap devices do not receive packets unless the specific tuntap device has been opened by an application.  This requires **CAP\_NET\_ADMIN** privileges, so the **ovs-tcpdump** command must be run as a user with such permissions (this is usually a super-user).

## OPTIONS

- •

  **-h** or **--help**

  Prints a brief help message to the console.

- •

  **-V** or **--version**

  Prints version information to the console.

- •

  **--db-sock \<socket\>**

  The Open vSwitch database socket connection string. The default is **unix:\<rundir\>/db.sock**.

- •

  **--dump-cmd \<command\>**

  The command to run instead of **tcpdump**.

- •

  **-i** or **--interface**

  The interface for which a mirror port should be created, and packets should be dumped.

- •

  **--mirror-to**

  The name of the interface which should be the destination of the mirrored packets. The default is **mi\<port\>**.

- •

  **--span**

  If specified, mirror all ports (optional).

- •

  **--filter \<flow\>**

  If specified, only mirror packets that match the provided OpenFlow filter. The available fields are documented in **[ovs-fields(7)](/ovs-fields/7.md)**.

## SEE ALSO

**[ovs-appctl(8)](/ovs-appctl/8.md)**, **[ovs-vswitchd(8)](/ovs-vswitchd/8.md)**, **[ovs-pcap(1)](/ovs-pcap/1.md)**, **[ovs-fields(7)](/ovs-fields/7.md)**, **[ovs-tcpundump(1)](/ovs-tcpundump/1.md)**, **[tcpdump(8)](/tcpdump/8.md)**, **wireshark(8)**.

## AUTHOR

The Open vSwitch Development Community

## COPYRIGHT

2016-2024, The Open vSwitch Development Community