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+Getting Started with 'vsperf'
+=============================
+
+Hardware Requirements
+---------------------
+
+VSPERF requires the following hardware to run tests: IXIA traffic
+generator (IxNetwork), a machine that runs the IXIA client software and
+a CentOS Linux release 7.1.1503 (Core) host.
+
+vSwitch Requirements
+--------------------
+
+The vSwitch must support Open Flow 1.3 or greater.
+
+Installation
+------------
+
+Follow the `installation instructions <installation.md>`__ to install.
+
+IXIA Setup
+----------
+
+On the CentOS 7 system
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+You need to install IxNetworkTclClient$(VER\_NUM)Linux.bin.tgz.
+
+On the IXIA client software system
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Find the IxNetwork TCL server app (start -> All Programs -> IXIA ->
+IxNetwork -> IxNetwork\_$(VER\_NUM) -> IxNetwork TCL Server)
+
+Right click on IxNetwork TCL Server, select properties - Under shortcut tab in
+the Target dialogue box make sure there is the argument "-tclport xxxx"
+where xxxx is your port number (take note of this port number you will
+need it for the 10\_custom.conf file).
+
+|Alt text|
+
+Hit Ok and start the TCL server application
+
+Cloning and building src dependencies
+-------------------------------------
+
+In order to run VSPERF, you will need to download DPDK and OVS. You can
+do this manually and build them in a preferred location, or you could
+use vswitchperf/src. The vswitchperf/src directory contains makefiles
+that will allow you to clone and build the libraries that VSPERF depends
+on, such as DPDK and OVS. To clone and build simply:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    cd src
+    make
+
+VSPERF can be used with OVS without DPDK support. In this case you have
+to specify path to the kernel sources by WITH\_LINUX parameter:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+     cd src
+     make WITH_LINUX=/lib/modules/`uname -r`/build
+
+To build DPDK and OVS for PVP testing with vhost_user as the guest access
+method, use:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+     make VHOST_USER=y
+
+To delete a src subdirectory and its contents to allow you to re-clone simply
+use:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+     make clobber
+
+Configure the ``./conf/10_custom.conf`` file
+--------------------------------------------
+
+The supplied ``10_custom.conf`` file must be modified, as it contains
+configuration items for which there are no reasonable default values.
+
+The configuration items that can be added is not limited to the initial
+contents. Any configuration item mentioned in any .conf file in
+``./conf`` directory can be added and that item will be overridden by
+the custom configuration value.
+
+Using a custom settings file
+----------------------------
+
+Alternatively a custom settings file can be passed to ``vsperf`` via the
+``--conf-file`` argument.
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    ./vsperf --conf-file <path_to_settings_py> ...
+
+Note that configuration passed in via the environment (``--load-env``)
+or via another command line argument will override both the default and
+your custom configuration files. This "priority hierarchy" can be
+described like so (1 = max priority):
+
+1. Command line arguments
+2. Environment variables
+3. Configuration file(s)
+
+--------------
+
+Executing tests
+---------------
+
+Before running any tests make sure you have root permissions by adding
+the following line to /etc/sudoers:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    username ALL=(ALL)       NOPASSWD: ALL
+
+username in the example above should be replaced with a real username.
+
+To list the available tests:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    ./vsperf --list-tests
+
+To run a group of tests, for example all tests with a name containing
+'RFC2544':
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    ./vsperf --conf-file=user_settings.py --tests="RFC2544"
+
+To run all tests:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    ./vsperf --conf-file=user_settings.py
+
+Some tests allow for configurable parameters, including test duration
+(in seconds) as well as packet sizes (in bytes).
+
+.. code:: bash
+
+    ./vsperf --conf-file user_settings.py
+        --tests RFC2544Tput
+        --test-param "rfc2544_duration=10;packet_sizes=128"
+
+For all available options, check out the help dialog:
+
+  .. code-block:: console
+
+    ./vsperf --help
+
+--------------
+
+.. |Alt text| image:: images/TCLServerProperties.png