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Indigo Virtual Switch (IVS)

Indigo Virtual Switch (vSwitch) (IVS) is a software-based OpenFlow (software-defined networking) vSwitch created by Big Switch Networks for programmable network forwarding in virtualized environments.

  • Implements an OpenFlow (software-defined networking) vSwitch datapath for programmable packet forwarding.
  • Provides integration with Big Switch Networks Software Defined Networking (SDN) controllers (network control and automation).
  • Runs as a vSwitch on standard server platforms (virtual networking infrastructure).
  • Enables centralized policy and flow control using the OpenFlow protocol (network policy enforcement).
  • Supports SDN-based Traffic Engineering (TE) and network service chaining in virtualized data centers (data center networking).

More About Indigo Virtual Switch (IVS)

Indigo vSwitch (IVS) is a vSwitch (virtual networking infrastructure) designed by Big Switch Networks to provide an OpenFlow-based forwarding plane inside server environments. It sits in the software stack where virtual machines or other virtualized workloads connect to the network, providing a programmable data path that can be controlled by an external SDN controller. The project targets scenarios where enterprises want centralized control over virtual network behavior without relying solely on traditional hypervisor-specific switching components.

Identity Verification Service (IVS) focuses on implementing the OpenFlow protocol (software-defined networking) as the primary mechanism for control-plane interaction. Through OpenFlow, a Big Switch Networks controller can install, modify, and remove flow entries in IVS to enforce granular forwarding decisions, Quality of Service (QoS) policies, and network segmentation for workloads. The vSwitch acts as the local enforcement point for these controller-derived rules, handling packet classification and forwarding based on flow table entries rather than on distributed configuration of each host.

In enterprise and institutional environments, Indigo vSwitch is used as part of an SDN architecture (data center networking) where Big Switch Networks controllers manage both physical and virtual switching elements. On servers, IVS connects Virtual Machine (VM) vNICs or virtual interfaces to the SDN fabric, allowing the same controller-defined network policies to span across physical switches and host-based switching. This integration can support use cases such as multi-tenant isolation, service chaining through virtual network functions, and traffic steering across fabric endpoints.

Technically, IVS is categorized as a vSwitch (network virtualization) that replaces or augments traditional software switches with an OpenFlow-controlled data plane. It interoperates with Big Switch Networks controller platforms that speak OpenFlow, forming a controller-switch ecosystem where control logic resides centrally while data forwarding remains on each host. This division of roles allows the controller to compute topology-aware paths and policies, while IVS focuses on packet handling and maintenance of local flow tables.

From an operational standpoint, Indigo vSwitch fits into data center and cloud architectures (infrastructure networking) where standardized, controller-driven policies are required across heterogeneous server deployments. By using OpenFlow as its primary control protocol and integrating with Big Switch Networks SDN controllers, IVS aligns host-based virtual switching with the same abstractions and automation workflows applied to the broader fabric, providing a cohesive SDN environment for enterprise operators.