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CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) |
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Passing the BCMSN exam and getting one step closer to the
CCNP certification means learning and noticing details that
you were not presented with in your CCNA studies. (Yes, I
know – you had more than enough details then, right?)
One protocol you’ve got to learn more details about is
VTP, which seemed simple enough in your CCNA studies! Part
of learning the details is mastering the fundamentals, so
in this tutorial we’ll review the basics of VTP.
In show vtp status readouts, the "VTP Operating Mode"
is set to "Server" by default. The more familiar
term for VTP Operating Mode is simply VTP Mode, and Server
is the default. It's through the usage of VTP modes that we
can place limits on which switches can delete and create VLANs.
In Server mode, a VTP switch can be used to create, modify,
and delete VLANs. This means that a VTP deployment has to
have at least one switch in Server mode, or VLAN creation
will not be possible. Again, this is the default setting for
Cisco switches.
Switches running in Client mode cannot be used to create,
modify, or delete VLANs. Clients do listen for VTP advertisements
and act accordingly when VTP advertisements notify the Client
of VLAN changes.
VTP Transparent mode actually means that the switch isn't
participating in the VTP domain as Servers and Clients do.
(Bear with me here.) Transparent VTP switches don't synchronize
their VTP databases with other VTP speakers. They don't even
advertise their own VLAN information! Therefore, any VLANs
created on a Transparent VTP switch will not be advertised
to other VTP speakers in the domain, making them locally significant
only. (I know you remember that phrase from your CCNA studies!)
Devices running VTP Transparent mode do have a little something
to do with the other switches in the VTP domain, though. When
a switch running in Transparent mode receives a VTP advertisement,
that switch will forward that advertisement to other switches
in that VTP domain.
Configuring switches as VTP Clients is a great way to “tie
down” VLAN creation capabilities to switches that are
under your physical control. However, this occasionally leads
to a situation where only the VTP clients will have ports
that belong to a given VLAN, but the VLAN still has to be
created on the VTP server. (VLANs can be created and deleted
in transparent mode, but those changes aren't advertised to
other switches in the VTP domain.)
In the next BCMSN tutorial, we’ll take a look at the
details of VTP.
About the Author:
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage,
home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study
Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.
For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, “How To Pass
The CCNA” and “How To Pass The CCNP”, visit
the website and download your free copies. You can also get
FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNA
exam with The Bryant Advantage!
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