VTP

VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP)

VTP is a Layer 2 protocol that takes care of the steps of creating and naming VLANs on all switches in the system. VTP works by establishing a single switch as being in charge of the VLAN information for a domain. In this case, a domain is simply a group of switches that all have the same VTP domain name. This simply puts all the switches into a common administrative group.

There are three types of switches in a VTP domains:

Server

· Vtp server creates, modifies, and deletes VLANs at the CLI.

· when we configure switch to VTP server mode switch generates VTP advertisements and forwards advertisements from other switches in the same management domain.

· Saves configuration in NVRAM

Client

· Vtp Client mode Cannot create, modify, or delete VLANs at the CLI.

· In vtp client mode switchs originate periodic VTP advertisements and synchronize their databases with other switches in the domain.

· Does not save in NVRAM

Transparent

· VTP transparent creates, modifies, and deletes VLANs for the VLAN database on the local switch only.

· In this mode switchs does not update its VLAN database with information received from VTP servers in the same management domain

· Switchs forwards VTP advertisements received from VTP servers in the same VTP domain.

· Saves configuration in NVRAM

VTP Configuration

switch2960(config)#vtp mode [server client transparent}

switch2960(config)#vtp domain vtp_domain_name

switch2960(config)#vtp password vtp_password

Important note:The VTP domain name and password must match on all switches for VLAN information to be propagated from the Server mode switch.

VTP Verification and Troubleshooting

switch2960#show vtp status