Cisco WS-C2924-XL Software Guide - Page 231

Using VTP, The VTP Domain

Page 231 highlights

Chapter 8 Configuring VLANs Using VTP Using VTP VTP is a Layer 2 messaging protocol that maintains VLAN configuration consistency by managing the addition, deletion, and renaming of VLANs on a network-wide basis. VTP minimizes misconfigurations and configuration inconsistencies that can cause several problems, such as duplicate VLAN names, incorrect VLAN-type specifications, and security violations. Before you create VLANs, you must decide whether to use VTP in your network. Using VTP, you can make configuration changes centrally on a single switch, such as a Catalyst 2900 XL or Catalyst 3500 XL switch, and have those changes automatically communicated to all the other switches in the network. Without VTP, you cannot send information about VLANs to other switches. The VTP Domain A VTP domain (also called a VLAN management domain) consists of one switch or several interconnected switches under the same administrative responsibility. A switch can be in only one VTP domain. You make global VLAN configuration changes for the domain by using the CLI, Cluster Management software, or SNMP. By default, a Catalyst 2900 XL or Catalyst 3500 XL switch is in the no-management-domain state until it receives an advertisement for a domain over a trunk link (a link that carries the traffic of multiple VLANs) or until you configure a domain name. The default VTP mode is server mode, but VLAN information is not propagated over the network until a domain name is specified or learned. If the switch receives a VTP advertisement over a trunk link, it inherits the domain name and configuration revision number. The switch then ignores advertisements with a different domain name or an earlier configuration revision number. When you make a change to the VLAN configuration on a VTP server, the change is propagated to all switches in the VTP domain. VTP advertisements are sent over all trunk connections, including Inter-Switch Link (ISL), IEEE 802.1Q, IEEE 802.10, and ATM LANE. If you configure a switch for VTP transparent mode, you can create and modify VLANs, but the changes are not sent to other switches in the domain, and they affect only the individual switch. For domain name and password configuration guidelines, see the "Domain Names" section on page 8-13. 78-6511-08 Catalyst 2900 Series XL and Catalyst 3500 Series XL Software Configuration Guide 8-9

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8-9
Catalyst 2900 Series XL and Catalyst 3500 Series XL Software Configuration Guide
78-6511-08
Chapter 8
Configuring VLANs
Using VTP
Using VTP
VTP is a Layer 2 messaging protocol that maintains VLAN configuration consistency by managing the
addition, deletion, and renaming of VLANs on a network-wide basis. VTP minimizes misconfigurations
and configuration inconsistencies that can cause several problems, such as duplicate VLAN names,
incorrect VLAN-type specifications, and security violations.
Before you create VLANs, you must decide whether to use VTP in your network. Using VTP, you can
make configuration changes centrally on a single switch, such as a Catalyst 2900 XL or
Catalyst 3500 XL switch, and have those changes automatically communicated to all the other switches
in the network. Without VTP, you cannot send information about VLANs to other switches.
The VTP Domain
A VTP domain (also called a VLAN management domain) consists of one switch or several
interconnected switches under the same administrative responsibility. A switch can be in only one VTP
domain. You make global VLAN configuration changes for the domain by using the CLI, Cluster
Management software, or SNMP.
By default, a Catalyst 2900 XL or Catalyst 3500 XL switch is in the no-management-domain state until
it receives an advertisement for a domain over a trunk link (a link that carries the traffic of multiple
VLANs) or until you configure a domain name. The default VTP mode is server mode, but VLAN
information is not propagated over the network until a domain name is specified or learned.
If the switch receives a VTP advertisement over a trunk link, it inherits the domain name and
configuration revision number. The switch then ignores advertisements with a different domain name or
an earlier configuration revision number.
When you make a change to the VLAN configuration on a VTP server, the change is propagated to all
switches in the VTP domain. VTP advertisements are sent over all trunk connections, including
Inter-Switch Link (ISL), IEEE 802.1Q, IEEE 802.10, and ATM LANE.
If you configure a switch for VTP transparent mode, you can create and modify VLANs, but the changes
are not sent to other switches in the domain, and they affect only the individual switch.
For domain name and password configuration guidelines, see the
“Domain Names” section on
page 8-13
.