VTP Servers/Clients

typesh

Hey..

I had a question about VTP Servers and VTP Clients.

I understand that VTP Servers are where VLAN Configurations can be added, with all other Servers and Clients learning about the new config based on the Revision Number. However, suppose 3 switches are connected: SW1---SW2---SW3

SW1 is the VTP Server
SW2 is the VTP Client
SW3 is the VTP Client

If a config change is made on SW1 (causing the Revision number to go from 3 to 4), then S2 will update itself, but will SW2 pass on the update to SW3?

The reason I ask is because in this case it would appear that a VTP Client is updating another VTP client. Is that possible?

Thank you.

Forsaken_GA

I've never actually tried it with switches daisy chained like that, but I can't see why it wouldn't update. The client mode just means you can't do any vlan configuration, if you try, it will smack you down because it's in client mode, otherwise it's just passing the advertisements along on the trunk, not really updating the other switch, just passing the message along.

With that said - I understand that you have to learn VTP for the exam, but in my experience, VTP is not often deployed in the real world. The risk of having your entire vlan database blown away by adding one misconfigured switch to the network is a risk many are not willing to take. At my job, we put VTP in transparent mode on every switch, we manually define the vlans on the switch, and we manually define which vlans are allowed on the trunk. It adds a little more time to deploying new switches, and a little bit more to administrative overhead, but it doesn't carry the same risk.

Met44

Yes, SW3 will hear of the change through SW2. A VTP client behaves in the same way as a VTP server with regard to sending and receiving updates.

The only differences between the client and server modes are with the ability to modify the local VLAN database manually (which you mentioned), manually modifying pruning and version info for the domain, and the location where the updates are stored (RAM or NVRAM).

typesh

Hey!

Thanks for the reply and the info!

That would really suck to have one misconfigured switch take down all the others...