diff --git a/acinclude.m4 b/acinclude.m4
index 435685c93..c9b0d56d6 100644
--- a/acinclude.m4
+++ b/acinclude.m4
@@ -30,6 +30,21 @@ AC_DEFUN([OVS_CHECK_DPCLS_AUTOVALIDATOR], [
   fi
 ])
 
+dnl Set OVS DPIF default implementation at configure time for running the unit
+dnl tests on the whole codebase without modifying tests per DPIF impl
+AC_DEFUN([OVS_CHECK_DPIF_AVX512_DEFAULT], [
+  AC_ARG_ENABLE([dpif-default-avx512],
+                [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-dpif-default-avx512], [Enable DPIF AVX512 implementation as default.])],
+                [dpifavx512=yes],[dpifavx512=no])
+  AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether DPIF AVX512 is default implementation])
+  if test "$dpifavx512" != yes; then
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+  else
+    OVS_CFLAGS="$OVS_CFLAGS -DDPIF_AVX512_DEFAULT"
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+  fi
+])
+
 dnl OVS_ENABLE_WERROR
 AC_DEFUN([OVS_ENABLE_WERROR],
   [AC_ARG_ENABLE(
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c077034d4..e45685a6c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ OVS_ENABLE_WERROR
 OVS_ENABLE_SPARSE
 OVS_CTAGS_IDENTIFIERS
 OVS_CHECK_DPCLS_AUTOVALIDATOR
+OVS_CHECK_DPIF_AVX512_DEFAULT
 OVS_CHECK_BINUTILS_AVX512
 
 AC_ARG_VAR(KARCH, [Kernel Architecture String])
diff --git a/lib/automake.mk b/lib/automake.mk
index d945d935e..5e493ebaf 100644
--- a/lib/automake.mk
+++ b/lib/automake.mk
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ lib_libopenvswitch_la_SOURCES = \
 	lib/dpif-netdev.h \
 	lib/dpif-netdev-private-dfc.h \
 	lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpcls.h \
+	lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.c \
 	lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h \
 	lib/dpif-netdev-private-flow.h \
 	lib/dpif-netdev-private-hwol.h \
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev-avx512.c b/lib/dpif-netdev-avx512.c
index caba1fa1c..fff469e10 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev-avx512.c
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev-avx512.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #if !defined(__CHECKER__)
 
 #include <config.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 #include "dpif-netdev.h"
 #include "dpif-netdev-perf.h"
@@ -54,6 +55,19 @@ struct dpif_userdata {
         struct pkt_flow_meta pkt_meta[NETDEV_MAX_BURST];
 };
 
+int32_t
+dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512_probe(void)
+{
+    int avx512f_available = dpdk_get_cpu_has_isa("x86_64", "avx512f");
+    int bmi2_available = dpdk_get_cpu_has_isa("x86_64", "bmi2");
+
+    if (!avx512f_available || !bmi2_available) {
+        return -ENOTSUP;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 int32_t
 dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
                              struct dp_packet_batch *packets,
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.c b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9e1f3b8f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.c
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 Intel Corporation.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at:
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#include <config.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h"
+#include "util.h"
+#include "openvswitch/vlog.h"
+
+VLOG_DEFINE_THIS_MODULE(dpif_netdev_impl);
+
+/* Actual list of implementations goes here. */
+static struct dpif_netdev_impl_info_t dpif_impls[] = {
+    /* The default scalar C code implementation. */
+    { .func = dp_netdev_input,
+      .probe = NULL,
+      .name = "dpif_scalar", },
+
+#if (__x86_64__ && HAVE_AVX512F && HAVE_LD_AVX512_GOOD && __SSE4_2__)
+    /* Only available on x86_64 bit builds with SSE 4.2 used for OVS core. */
+    { .func = dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512,
+      .probe = dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512_probe,
+      .name = "dpif_avx512", },
+#endif
+};
+
+dp_netdev_input_func
+dp_netdev_impl_get_default(void)
+{
+    int dpif_idx = 0;
+
+/* Configure time overriding to run test suite on all implementations. */
+#if (__x86_64__ && HAVE_AVX512F && HAVE_LD_AVX512_GOOD && __SSE4_2__)
+#ifdef DPIF_AVX512_DEFAULT
+    ovs_assert(dpif_impls[1].func == dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512);
+    if (!dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512_probe()) {
+        dpif_idx = 1;
+    };
+#endif
+#endif
+
+    VLOG_INFO("Default DPIF implementation is %s.\n",
+              dpif_impls[dpif_idx].name);
+    dp_netdev_input_func func = dpif_impls[dpif_idx].func;
+
+    return func;
+}
+
+
+/* This function checks all available DPIF implementations, and selects the
+ * returns the function pointer to the one requested by "name".
+ */
+int32_t
+dp_netdev_impl_get_by_name(const char *name, dp_netdev_input_func *out_func)
+{
+    ovs_assert(name);
+    ovs_assert(out_func);
+
+    uint32_t i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(dpif_impls); i++) {
+        if (strcmp(dpif_impls[i].name, name) == 0) {
+            /* Probe function is optional - so check it is set before exec. */
+            if (dpif_impls[i].probe) {
+                int probe_ok = dpif_impls[i].probe();
+                if (probe_ok) {
+                  *out_func = NULL;
+                   return probe_ok;
+                }
+            }
+            *out_func = dpif_impls[i].func;
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return -EINVAL;
+}
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h
index ae9068458..a09f90acc 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h
@@ -23,7 +23,48 @@
 struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread;
 struct dp_packet_batch;
 
-/* Available implementations for dpif work */
+/* Typedef for DPIF functions.
+ * Returns a bitmask of packets to handle, possibly including upcall/misses.
+ */
+typedef int32_t (*dp_netdev_input_func)(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
+                                        struct dp_packet_batch *packets,
+                                        odp_port_t port_no);
+
+/* Probe a DPIF implementation. This allows the implementation to validate CPU
+ * ISA availability. Returns 0 if not available, returns 1 is valid to use.
+ */
+typedef int32_t (*dp_netdev_input_func_probe)(void);
+
+/* Structure describing each available DPIF implmeentation. */
+struct dpif_netdev_impl_info_t {
+    /* Function pointer to execute to have this DPIF implementation run. */
+    dp_netdev_input_func func;
+    /* Function pointer to execute to check the CPU ISA is available to run.
+     * May be NULL, which implies that it is always valid to use.
+     */
+    dp_netdev_input_func_probe probe;
+    /* Name used to select this DPIF implementation. */
+    const char *name;
+};
+
+/* This function checks all available DPIF implementations, and selects the
+ * returns the function pointer to the one requested by "name".
+ */
+int32_t
+dp_netdev_impl_get_by_name(const char *name, dp_netdev_input_func *out_func);
+
+/* Returns the ./configure selected DPIF as default, used to initialize. */
+dp_netdev_input_func dp_netdev_impl_get_default(void);
+
+/* Available implementations of DPIF below */
+int32_t
+dp_netdev_input(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
+                struct dp_packet_batch *packets,
+                odp_port_t in_port);
+
+/* AVX512 enabled DPIF implementation and probe functions */
+int32_t
+dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512_probe(void);
 int32_t
 dp_netdev_input_outer_avx512(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
                              struct dp_packet_batch *packets,
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h
index 917211938..aac2342a7 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "dpif-netdev-perf.h"
 #include "openvswitch/thread.h"
 
+#include "dpif-netdev-private-dpif.h"
+
 #ifdef  __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
@@ -49,16 +51,6 @@ struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread_ctx {
     bool smc_enable_db;
 };
 
-/* Forward declaration for typedef */
-struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread;
-
-/* Typedef for DPIF functions.
- * Returns a bitmask of packets to handle, possibly including upcall/misses.
- */
-typedef int32_t (*dp_netdev_input_func)(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
-                                        struct dp_packet_batch *packets,
-                                        odp_port_t port_no);
-
 /* PMD: Poll modes drivers.  PMD accesses devices via polling to eliminate
  * the performance overhead of interrupt processing.  Therefore netdev can
  * not implement rx-wait for these devices.  dpif-netdev needs to poll
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev.c b/lib/dpif-netdev.c
index f1089752e..564d94a97 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev.c
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev.c
@@ -480,8 +480,8 @@ static void dp_netdev_execute_actions(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
                                       const struct flow *flow,
                                       const struct nlattr *actions,
                                       size_t actions_len);
-static int32_t dp_netdev_input(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *,
-                            struct dp_packet_batch *, odp_port_t port_no);
+int32_t dp_netdev_input(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *,
+                        struct dp_packet_batch *, odp_port_t port_no);
 static void dp_netdev_recirculate(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *,
                                   struct dp_packet_batch *);
 
@@ -992,6 +992,78 @@ dpif_netdev_subtable_lookup_set(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
     ds_destroy(&reply);
 }
 
+static void
+dpif_netdev_impl_set(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
+                     const char *argv[], void *aux OVS_UNUSED)
+{
+    /* This function requires just one parameter, the DPIF name.
+     * A second optional parameter can identify the datapath instance.
+     */
+    const char *dpif_name = argv[1];
+
+    static const char *error_description[2] = {
+        "Unknown DPIF implementation",
+        "CPU doesn't support the required instruction for",
+    };
+
+    dp_netdev_input_func new_func;
+    int32_t err = dp_netdev_impl_get_by_name(dpif_name, &new_func);
+    if (err) {
+        struct ds reply = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
+        ds_put_format(&reply, "DPIF implementation not available: %s %s.\n",
+                      error_description[ (err == -ENOTSUP) ], dpif_name);
+        const char *reply_str = ds_cstr(&reply);
+        unixctl_command_reply(conn, reply_str);
+        VLOG_INFO("%s", reply_str);
+        ds_destroy(&reply);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* argv[2] is optional datapath instance. If no datapath name is provided
+     * and only one datapath exists, the one existing datapath is reprobed.
+     */
+    ovs_mutex_lock(&dp_netdev_mutex);
+    struct dp_netdev *dp = NULL;
+
+    if (argc == 3) {
+        dp = shash_find_data(&dp_netdevs, argv[2]);
+    } else if (shash_count(&dp_netdevs) == 1) {
+        dp = shash_first(&dp_netdevs)->data;
+    }
+
+    if (!dp) {
+        ovs_mutex_unlock(&dp_netdev_mutex);
+        unixctl_command_reply_error(conn,
+                                    "please specify an existing datapath");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* Get PMD threads list */
+    size_t n;
+    struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread **pmd_list;
+    sorted_poll_thread_list(dp, &pmd_list, &n);
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd = pmd_list[i];
+        if (pmd->core_id == NON_PMD_CORE_ID) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        /* Set PMD threads DPIF implementation to requested one */
+        pmd->netdev_input_func = *new_func;
+    };
+
+    ovs_mutex_unlock(&dp_netdev_mutex);
+
+    /* Reply with success to command */
+    struct ds reply = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
+    ds_put_format(&reply, "DPIF implementation set to %s.\n", dpif_name);
+    const char *reply_str = ds_cstr(&reply);
+    unixctl_command_reply(conn, reply_str);
+    VLOG_INFO("%s", reply_str);
+    ds_destroy(&reply);
+}
+
 static void
 dpif_netdev_pmd_rebalance(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
                           const char *argv[], void *aux OVS_UNUSED)
@@ -1214,6 +1286,10 @@ dpif_netdev_init(void)
     unixctl_command_register("dpif-netdev/subtable-lookup-prio-get", "",
                              0, 0, dpif_netdev_subtable_lookup_get,
                              NULL);
+    unixctl_command_register("dpif-netdev/dpif-set",
+                             "[dpif implementation name] [dp]",
+                             1, 2, dpif_netdev_impl_set,
+                             NULL);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -6010,8 +6086,8 @@ dp_netdev_configure_pmd(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd, struct dp_netdev *dp,
     hmap_init(&pmd->send_port_cache);
     cmap_init(&pmd->tx_bonds);
 
-    /* Initialize the DPIF function pointer to the default scalar version */
-    pmd->netdev_input_func = dp_netdev_input;
+    /* Initialize DPIF function pointer to the default configured version. */
+    pmd->netdev_input_func = dp_netdev_impl_get_default();
 
     /* init the 'flow_cache' since there is no
      * actual thread created for NON_PMD_CORE_ID. */
@@ -6945,7 +7021,7 @@ dp_netdev_input__(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
     }
 }
 
-static int32_t
+int32_t
 dp_netdev_input(struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread *pmd,
                 struct dp_packet_batch *packets,
                 odp_port_t port_no)
