Definition: VTP is a Cisco protocol that automatically shares VLAN configurations across switches. Basically, it saves you from manually configuring VLANs on every switch. Less work, fewer mistakes. Win-win.

It works with a Client/Server model, and there’s also a Transparent mode for the lone wolves.

VTP Domains

A VTP domain is just a group of switches that share the same VLAN config. They talk to each other using VTP to stay in sync.

Example: VTP Scheme - HWIKI

In this example, SW0 and SW1 are in VTP domain 1, and SW2 is in a separate domain (VTP2), so it doesn’t share VLAN info.

VTP Modes

There are 3 VTP modes:

Server (e.g. SW0): The boss. Creates, modifies, and deletes VLANs, and pushes the config to others.
Client (e.g. SW1): Just listens. Gets the config from the server and applies it.
Transparent (e.g. SW2): Doesn’t care. Keeps its own VLAN config and ignores VTP messages. But it can still forward them.

Summary

	VTP Client	VTP Server	VTP Transparent
VLAN creation	NO	YES	YES (local)
VLAN deletion	NO	YES	YES (local)
VLAN modification	NO	YES	YES (local)
Sends VTP messages	YES	YES	NO
Processes VTP messages	YES	YES	NO
Syncs with neighbors	YES	YES	NO

VTP Configuration

Creating the VTP domain

cisco

SW> enable
SW# configure terminale
SW(config)# vtp domain HWIKI
SW(config)# vtp mode server
SW(config)# vtp password hello1234!
SW(config)# vtp version 2

Checking the VTP status