+ Port configuration changes only become active when forwarding is started/restarted.
+
+port attach
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Attach a port specified by pci address or virtual device args.
+
+To attach a new pci device, the device should be recognized by kernel first.
+Then it should be moved under DPDK management.
+Finally the port can be attached to testpmd.
+
+For example, to move a pci device using ixgbe under DPDK management:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ # Check the status of the available devices.
+ ./tools/dpdk_nic_bind.py --status
+
+ Network devices using DPDK-compatible driver
+ ============================================
+ <none>
+
+ Network devices using kernel driver
+ ===================================
+ 0000:0a:00.0 '82599ES 10-Gigabit' if=eth2 drv=ixgbe unused=
+
+
+ # Bind the device to igb_uio.
+ sudo ./tools/dpdk_nic_bind.py -b igb_uio 0000:0a:00.0
+
+
+ # Recheck the status of the devices.
+ ./tools/dpdk_nic_bind.py --status
+ Network devices using DPDK-compatible driver
+ ============================================
+ 0000:0a:00.0 '82599ES 10-Gigabit' drv=igb_uio unused=
+
+To attach a port created by virtual device, above steps are not needed.
+
+port attach (identifier)
+
+For example, to attach a port whose pci address is 0000:0a:00.0.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ testpmd> port attach 0000:0a:00.0
+ Attaching a new port...
+ EAL: PCI device 0000:0a:00.0 on NUMA socket -1
+ EAL: probe driver: 8086:10fb rte_ixgbe_pmd
+ EAL: PCI memory mapped at 0x7f83bfa00000
+ EAL: PCI memory mapped at 0x7f83bfa80000
+ PMD: eth_ixgbe_dev_init(): MAC: 2, PHY: 18, SFP+: 5
+ PMD: eth_ixgbe_dev_init(): port 0 vendorID=0x8086 deviceID=0x10fb
+ Port 0 is attached. Now total ports is 1
+ Done
+
+For example, to attach a port created by pcap PMD.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ testpmd> port attach eth_pcap0
+ Attaching a new port...
+ PMD: Initializing pmd_pcap for eth_pcap0
+ PMD: Creating pcap-backed ethdev on numa socket 0
+ Port 0 is attached. Now total ports is 1
+ Done
+
+In this case, identifier is ``eth_pcap0``.
+This identifier format is the same as ``--vdev`` format of DPDK applications.
+
+For example, to re-attach a bonded port which has been previously detached,
+the mode and slave parameters must be given.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ testpmd> port attach eth_bond_0,mode=0,slave=1
+ Attaching a new port...
+ EAL: Initializing pmd_bond for eth_bond_0
+ EAL: Create bonded device eth_bond_0 on port 0 in mode 0 on socket 0.
+ Port 0 is attached. Now total ports is 1
+ Done
+
+
+port detach
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Detach a specific port.
+
+Before detaching a port, the port should be closed::
+
+ testpmd> port detach (port_id)
+
+For example, to detach a pci device port 0.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ testpmd> port close 0
+ Closing ports...
+ Done
+
+ testpmd> port detach 0
+ Detaching a port...
+ EAL: PCI device 0000:0a:00.0 on NUMA socket -1
+ EAL: remove driver: 8086:10fb rte_ixgbe_pmd
+ EAL: PCI memory unmapped at 0x7f83bfa00000
+ EAL: PCI memory unmapped at 0x7f83bfa80000
+ Done
+
+
+For example, to detach a virtual device port 0.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ testpmd> port close 0
+ Closing ports...
+ Done
+
+ testpmd> port detach 0
+ Detaching a port...
+ PMD: Closing pcap ethdev on numa socket 0
+ Port 'eth_pcap0' is detached. Now total ports is 0
+ Done
+
+To remove a pci device completely from the system, first detach the port from testpmd.
+Then the device should be moved under kernel management.
+Finally the device can be removed using kernel pci hotplug functionality.
+
+For example, to move a pci device under kernel management:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+ sudo ./tools/dpdk_nic_bind.py -b ixgbe 0000:0a:00.0
+
+ ./tools/dpdk_nic_bind.py --status
+
+ Network devices using DPDK-compatible driver
+ ============================================
+ <none>
+
+ Network devices using kernel driver
+ ===================================
+ 0000:0a:00.0 '82599ES 10-Gigabit' if=eth2 drv=ixgbe unused=igb_uio
+
+To remove a port created by a virtual device, above steps are not needed.