The present document specifies performance benchmarking metrics for virtual switching@ with the goal that the metrics will adequately quantify performance gains achieved through virtual switch acceleration conforming to the associated requirements specified herein. The acceleration-related requirements will be applicable to common virtual switching functions across usage models such as packet delivery into VNFs@ network overlay and tunnel termination@ stateful Network Address Translators (NAT)@ service chaining@ load balancing and@ in general@ match-action based policies/flows applied to traffic going to/from the VMs. The present document will also provide deployment scenarios with applicability to multiple vendor implementations and recommendations for follow-on proof of concept activities.