CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4.

VTP Worksheet
Cape Girardeau Career Center Name: 1. As the number of switches increases on a small- or medium-sized business CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

network, what is a common error that a network manager might make?

As the number of switches increases on a small- or medium-sized business network, the overall administration required to manage VLANs and trunks in a network becomes a challenge.

2. In a larger network, after you have manually updated the network a few times,

what might be a way for the switches to learn what the VLANs and trunks are so that you do not have to manually configure them?

After you have manually updated this network a few times, you may want to know if there is a way for the switches to learn what the VLANs and trunks are so that you do not have to manually configure them.

3. What is VTP? (Dont just tell me what the letters stand for, explain what it is!)

Vlan Trucking Protocol. After you have manually updated this network a few times, you may want to know if there is a way for the switches to learn what the VLANs and trunks are so that you do not have to manually configure them.

4. A switch running VTP can be configured in the role of a VTP

__server___________ or a VTP ______client_________.

5. VTP only learns about ______normal -range____________ VLANs (VLAN IDs 1

to 1005). ________extended-range_____________________ VLANs (IDs greater than 1005) are not supported by VTP.
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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

6. VTP stores VLAN configurations in the VLAN database called

____vlan.dat________________.

7. List the Benefits of VTP:

VLAN configuration consistency across the network Accurate tracking and monitoring of VLANs Dynamic reporting of added VLANs across a network Dynamic trunk configuration when VLANs are added to the network

8. Define a VTP Domain:

Consists of one or more interconnected switches. All switches in a domain share VLAN configuration details using VTP advertisements. A router or Layer 3 switch defines the boundary of each domain.

9. Define VTP Advertisements:

VTP uses a hierarchy of advertisements to distribute and synchronize VLAN configurations across the network.

CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

10. Define VTP Modes:

- A switch can be configured in one of three modes: server, client, or transparent.

11. Define VTP Server:

VTP servers advertise the VTP domain VLAN information to other VTP-enabled switches in the same VTP domain. VTP servers store the VLAN information for the entire domain in NVRAM. The server is where VLANs can be created, deleted, or renamed for the domain.

12. Define VTP Client:

VTP clients function the same way as VTP servers, but you cannot create, change, or delete VLANs on a VTP client. A VTP client only stores the VLAN information for the entire domain while the switch is on. A switch reset deletes the VLAN information. You must configure VTP client mode on a switch.

13. Define VTP Transparent: VTP pruning increases network available bandwidth by restricting flooded traffic to those trunk links that the traffic must use to reach the destination devices. Without VTP pruning, a switch floods broadcast, multicast, and unknown unicast traffic across all trunk links within a VTP domain even though receiving switches might discard them.

14. Define VTP Pruning: -VTP pruning increases network available bandwidth by restricting flooded traffic to those trunk links that the traffic must use to reach the destination devices. Without VTP pruning, a switch floods broadcast, multicast, and unknown unicast
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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

traffic across all trunk links within a VTP domain even though receiving switches might discard them.

15. List the default settings a Cisco switch comes from the factory with:

VTP Version=1 VTP Domain = null VTP Mode = Server Config Revision = 0 VLANs=1

16. Why must you make sure that you only add VTP-enabled switches that are in

their default VTP configuration to a network?

17. VTP has three versions, 1, 2, and 3. How many versions are allowed in the

same VTP domain? Only one VTP version is allowed in a VTP domain.

18. How many VTP domains can a switch be a member of at the same time?
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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

By default, the switch implements version 1, but can be set to version 2.

19. What are the three components of VTP Domain Name Propagation?

-Set the VTP Domain -Send Domain Name -Configured with the domain name

20. Briefly summarize VTP Frame Encapsulation:

VTP Header followed by VTP Message that goes inside of an Ethernet frame.

21. List and briefly explain the key fields that are present when a VTP frame is

encapsulated as an 802.1Q frame:

A VTP frame is encapsulated in an 802.1Q Ethernet frame. The entire 802.1Q Ethernet frame is the VTP advertisement often called a VTP message. Often the terms frame, advertisement, and message are used interchangeably.

CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

22. List the VTP Message contents of the VTP Frame Structure:

VTP frames contain the following fixed-length global domain information:

VTP domain name Identity of the switch sending the message, and the time it was sent MD5 digest VLAN configuration, including maximum transmission unit (MTU) size for each VLAN Frame format: ISL or 802.1Q

23. A VTP frame is encapsulated in an ____802.1Q_________ Ethernet frame. The

entire _____802.1Q__________ Ethernet frame is the VTP advertisement often called a VTP ___advertisment___________. Often the terms frame, advertisement, and message are used interchangeably.

24. Explain the importance of the VTP configuration revision number:

The revision number plays an important and complex role in enabling VTP to distribute and synchronize VTP domain and VLAN configuration information. To comprehend what the revision number does, you first need to learn about the three types of VTP advertisements and the three VTP modes.

CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

25. Explain VTP Summary Advertisements:

The summary advertisement contains the VTP domain name, the current revision number, and other VTP configuration details.

26. Explain VTP Subset Advertisements:

A subset advertisement contains VLAN information. Changes that trigger the subset advertisement include:

Creating or deleting a VLAN Suspending or activating a VLAN Changing the name of a VLAN Changing the MTU of a VLAN

27. Explain VTP Request Advertisements:

Request advertisements are sent if:

The VTP domain name has been changed The switch receives a summary advertisement with a higher configuration revision number than its own A subset advertisement message is missed for some reason
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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

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The switch has been reset

28. List the characteristics of VTP Server Mode:

In server mode, you can create, modify, and delete VLANs for the entire VTP domain. VTP server mode is the default mode for a Cisco switch

29. List the characteristics of VTP Client Mode:

If a switch is in client mode, you cannot create, change, or delete VLANs. In addition, the VLAN configuration information that a VTP client switch receives from a VTP server switch is stored in a VLAN database, not in NVRAM. Consequently, VTP clients require less memory than VTP servers. When a VTP client is shut down and restarted, it sends a request advertisement to a VTP server for updated VLAN configuration information.

30. List the characteristics of VTP Transparent Mode:

Switches configured in transparent mode forward VTP advertisements that they receive on trunk ports to other switches in the network. VTP transparent mode switches do not advertise their VLAN configuration and do not synchronize their VLAN configuration with any other switch. Configure a switch in VTP transparent mode when you have VLAN configurations that have local significance and should not be shared with the rest of the network.

31. Summarize the purpose and importance of VTP Pruning:

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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

VTP pruning prevents unnecessary flooding of broadcast information from one VLAN across all trunks in a VTP domain. VTP pruning permits switches to negotiate which VLANs are assigned to ports at the other end of a trunk and, hence, prune the VLANs that are not assigned to ports on the remote switch.

Be sure to do the VTP Operation Testlet 4.2.5.4

32. Outline the steps and associated guidelines to ensure that you configure both VTP Server Switches and VTP Client Switches successfully:

Follow these steps and associated guidelines to ensure that you configure VTP successfully:

-Confirm that all of the switches you are going to configure have been set to their default settings.

-Always reset the configuration revision number before installing a previously configured switch into a VTP domain. Not resetting the configuration revision number allows for potential disruption in the VLAN configuration across the rest of the switches in the VTP domain.

-Configure at least two VTP server switches in your network. Because only server switches can create, delete, and modify VLANs, you should make sure that you have one backup VTP server in case the primary VTP server becomes disabled. If all the switches in the network are configured in VTP client mode, you cannot create new VLANs on the network.
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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

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-Configure a VTP domain on the VTP server. Configuring the VTP domain on the first switch enables VTP to start advertising VLAN information. Other switches connected through trunk links receive the VTP domain information automatically through VTP advertisements.

-If there is an existing VTP domain, make sure that you match the name exactly. VTP domain names are case-sensitive.

-If you are configuring a VTP password, ensure that the same password is set on all switches in the domain that need to be able to exchange VTP information. Switches without a password or with the wrong password reject VTP advertisements.

-Ensure that all switches are configured to use the same VTP protocol version. VTP version 1 is not compatible with VTP version 2. By default, Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches run version 1 but are capable of running version 2. When the VTP version is set to version 2, all version 2 capable switches in the domain autoconfigure to use version 2 through the VTP announcement process. Any version 1-only switches cannot participate in the VTP domain after that point.

-Create the VLAN after you have enabled VTP on the VTP server. VLANs created before you enable VTP are removed. Always ensure that trunk ports are configured to interconnect switches in a VTP domain. VTP information is only exchanged on trunk ports.

33. What is the purpose of the show vtp status command?

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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

The output of the show vtp status command confirms that the switch is by default a VTP server. Since no VLANs have yet been configured, the revision number is still set to 0 and the switch does not belong to VTP domain.

34. What is the purpose of the vtp mode {variable} command?

If the switch was not already configured as a VTP server, you could configure it using the the vtp mode {server} command.

35. List and briefly explain Common VTP Configuration Issues:

Incompatible VTP Versions VTP versions 1 and 2 are incompatible with each other.

VTP Password Issues When using a VTP password to control participation in the VTP domain, ensure that the password is set correctly on all switches in the VTP domain.

Incorrect VTP Mode Name An improperly configured VTP domain affects VLAN synchronization between switches. As you learned earlier, if a switch receives the wrong VTP advertisement, the switch discards the message. If the discarded message contains legitimate configuration information, the switch does not synchronize its VLAN database as expected.

All Switches set to VTP Client Mode

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CCNA Exploration 3, Chapter 4. VTP Worksheet

Cape Girardeau Career Center CISCO Networking Academy Bill Link, Instructor

It is possible to change the operating mode of all switches to VTP client. By doing so, you lose all ability to create, delete, and manage VLANs within your network environment. Because the VTP client switches do not store the VLAN information in NVRAM, they need to refresh the VLAN information after a reload.

Be sure to do the Packet Tracer Exploration 4.3.3 Configure VTP

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