LAN Switching & Wireless
Networks
VTP
What is VTP?
• VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) is a Cisco proprietary
protocol that allows a network manager to configure a
switch so that it will propagate VLAN configurations to
other switches in the network.
What is VTP?
• VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) is a Cisco proprietary
protocol that allows a network manager to configure a
switch so that it will propagate VLAN configurations to
other switches in the network.
• The switch can be configured in the role of a VTP
server or a VTP client or in the VTP transparent mode.
• VTP learns about only normal-range VLANs (VLAN
IDs 1 to 1005). Extended-range VLANs (IDs greater
than 1005) are not supported by VTP.
VTP benefits
1. VLAN configuration consistency across the network
2. Accurate tracking and monitoring of VLANs
3. Dynamic reporting of added VLANs across a
network
4. Dynamic trunk configuration when VLANs are
added to the network
What is VTP?
• VTP maintains VLAN configuration consistency by managing the
addition, deletion, and renaming of VLANs across multiple Cisco
switches in a network.
VTP advertisements will not be exchanged if the trunk between
the switches is inactive.
VTP Components: VTP Domain
• Domain Consists of one or more interconnected switches.
ü All switches in a domain share VLAN configuration details
using VTP advertisements.
ü A router or Layer 3 switch defines the boundary of each
domain.
VTP Components: VTP Advertisements
• VTP Advertisements: VTP uses a hierarchy of advertisements
to distribute and synchronize VLAN configurations across the
network.
VTP Components: VTP Modes
• VTP Modes: A switch can be configured in one of three
modes: server, client, or transparent.
VTP Components: VTP Modes
• VTP Server: advertises the VTP domain VLAN information to other
VTP-enabled switches in the same VTP domain.
ü VTP servers store the VLAN information for the entire domain in NVRAM.
ü The server is where VLANs can be created, deleted, or renamed for the domain.
• VTP Client: functions the same way as VTP servers, but you cannot
create, change, or delete VLANs on a VTP client.
ü A VTP client only stores the VLAN information for the entire domain while the
switch is on, a switch reset deletes the VLAN information.
• VTP Transparent: forwards VTP advertisements to VTP clients and
VTP servers.
ü Transparent switches do not participate in VTP. VLANs that are created,
renamed, or deleted on transparent switches are local to that switch only.
VTP Components: VTP Pruning
• VTP Pruning: increases the network available bandwidth
by restricting flooded traffic to those trunk links that the
traffic must use to reach the destination devices.
VTP Components: VTP Pruning
• Without VTP pruning broadcasts, multicasts and unknown
unicasts are flooded across all trunk links with the VTP
domain
• What it means is that the destination Switch does not
have the same VLAN as the switch that initiates the
broadcast
Relax and Refresh
Relax and Refresh
VLAN Trunking Protocol, VLAN Transmission Protocol
Layer 3, layer 2
Open source, proprietary
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Relax and Refresh
VLAN Trunking Protocol, VLAN Transmission Protocol
Layer 3, layer 2
Open source, proprietary
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Server, Client, Transparent
Default VTP Configuration
S# show vtp status
VTP Domains
• VTP allows you to separate your network into smaller
management domains to help reduce VLAN management.
• VTP domains limit the extent to which configuration
changes are propagated in the network if an error occurs.
• A switch can be a member of only one VTP domain at a
time.
• Until the VTP domain name is specified you cannot create
or modify VLANs on a VTP server, and VLAN information is
not propagated over the network.
VTP Domains
VTP Advertisements
• VTP advertisements (or messages) distribute VTP domain name and
VLAN configuration changes to VTP-enabled switches.
• VTP Header generally contains: Domain name, Domain name length,
version, Message type, and revision number
VTP Message Contents
MD5 digest: An algorithm used to verify the integrity of
the communication, authenticated the origin, and
checks for timeliness.
VTP Revision Number
• The configuration revision number is a 32-bit number that
indicates the level of revision for a VTP frame.
ü The default configuration number for a switch is zero.
ü Each time a VLAN is added or removed, the configuration
revision number is incremented.
ü Changes in VTP domain name, resets the revision number
to zero.
VTP Revision Number
Types of VTP advertisements:
Summary Advertisement
• The summary advertisement contains the VTP domain
name, the current revision number, and other VTP
configuration details.
Types of VTP advertisements:
Subset Advertisement
• A subset advertisement contains VLAN information.
MTU = Maximum Transmission Unit
Types of VTP advertisements:
Request Advertisement
• When a request advertisement is sent to a VTP server in the
same VTP domain, the VTP server responds by sending a
summary advertisement and then a subset advertisement.
Summary details
• Version: Displays the VTP version, on Catalyst 2960 v1 or v2.
• Code: Identifies the type of advertisement ‘0X01’.
• Followers: Identifies that this packet is followed by a subset advertisement.
• MgmtD Len: The length of domain name.
• Management Domain Name: The domain name.
• Configuration Rev. num.: The Rev. Num. of the VTP server sending the msg.
• Updater Identity: the IP add. Of the switch that is the last to have incremented the
configuration revision.
• Update Timestamp: Date & time of the last increment of the configuration revision.
• MD5 Digest: carries the VTP Password.
Subset details
• Version: Displays the VTP version, on Catalyst 2960 v1 or v2.
• Code: Identifies the type of advertisement, “0x02”.
• Seq-Number: The sequence of the packet in the stream of packets that follow
a summary advertisement, starts with 1.
• MgmtD Len: The length of domain name.
• Management Domain Name: The domain name.
• Configuration Rev. num.: The Rev. Num. of the VTP server sending the msg.
Request details
• Version: Displays the VTP version, on Catalyst 2960 v1 or v2.
• Code: Identifies the type of advertisement, “0x03”.
• Rsvd: A reserved field.
• MgmtD Len: The length of domain name.
• Management Domain Name: The domain name.
• Start Value: is used when there are several subset advertisements.
VTP Modes
• Creates VLANs
• Modifies VLANs
• Deletes VLANs
• Sends and forwards advertisements
• Saved in NVRAM
• Cannot create, • Default mode
change, or delete
VLANs
• Forwards • Creates local VLANs only
advertisements after • Modifies local VLANs only
taking a copy. • Deletes local VLANs only
• Not saved in • Doesn’t advertise local
NVRAM configuration.
• Sends and forwards
advertisements without being
affected
• Saved in NVRAM
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP in Action
VTP Pruning
• VTP pruning prevents unnecessary flooding of broadcast
information from one VLAN across all trunks in a VTP
domain.
VTP Configuration
• scu_fci# show vtp status
• scu_fci# conf t
• scu_fci(config)# vtp domain <domain-name>
• scu_fci(config)# vtp mode [ server | client |
transparent ]
• scu_fci(config)# vtp version <I or 2>
• scu_fci(config)# vtp password <password>
• scu_fci# show vtp counters
Troubleshooting VTP Connections
Troubleshooting VTP Connections:
Incompatible VTP Versions
Troubleshooting VTP Connections:
Incorrect VTP Domain Name
Troubleshooting VTP Connections:
Switches Set to VTP Client Mode
Troubleshooting VTP Connections:
Incorrect Revision Number
Managing VLANs on a VTP Server
