VLAN Trunking Protocol

Balaji.J

Introduction to VLAN Trunking

VLAN trunking uses tagged frames to allow multiple VLANs to be carried throughout a large switched network over shared backbones Two trunking protocols:
IEEE 802.1Q (widely implemented)
Ciscos Inter-Switch Link (ISL) - a proprietary trunking protocol that can be implemented in Cisco networks

Once a network is configured with VTP, many of the VLAN configuration tasks are automatic

A TRUNK IS.

A physical and logical connection between two switches across which network traffic travels
A single transmission channel between two points (usually switching centers) A point-to-point link that supports several VLANs

Another Look at Trunking

Before and After Trunking

Before: Each switch uses two physical links so that each port carries traffic for a single VLAN. Simplest way of implementing inter-switch VLAN communication, but does not scale well.

 After: Trunking bundles multiple virtual links over one physical link by allowing the traffic for several VLANs to travel over a single cable between the switches (conserves switch ports)

VTP Components
VTP Domain: Consists of one or more interconnected switches.

 VTP Advertisements: used to distribute and synchronize configurations

Trunking Operation
Two types of trunking mechanisms:
frame filtering frame tagging

Frame Filtering (not as common)

Frame Tagging (the standard)

Frame Tagging
adopted as the standard trunking mechanism by IEEE assigns an identifier to the frames; makes management easier with faster delivery of frames Most common tagging schemes for Ethernet segments are:
ISL Cisco proprietary Inter-Switch Link protocol.
802.1Q IEEE standard that will be focused on in this section.

Frame Tagging & Encapsulation Methods

Frame tagging places a unique identifier in the header of each frame as it is forwarded throughout the network backbone
identifier is examined by each switch before any broadcasts or transmissions are made to other switches, routers, or endstation devices. Last switch removes the identifier before the frame is transmitted to the target end station

Frame tagging functions at Layer 2 and requires little processing or administrative overhead

IEEE 802.1Q vs. ISL

Both are Ethernet frame tagging mechanisms Both protocols maintain VLAN information as traffic flows between the switches IEEE 802.1Q
The VLAN ID (4 byte field) is inserted into the frame

ISL
The frame is encapsulated with a header that contains a VLAN ID

The VTP Header

The VTP header varies (depending upon the type of VTP message) Generally four items are found in all VTP messages:
VTP protocol version: Either Version 1 or 2

VTP message type: Indicates one of four types (well look at the types later)
Management domain name length: Indicates size of the name that follows Management domain name: The name configured for the management domain

VTP MODES
VTP Server VTP Client VTP Transparent

Choosing the VTP Mode

Choose one of the three available VTP modes for the switch
If this is the first switch in the management domain and additional switches will be added, set the mode to server
additional switches will be able to learn VLAN information from this switch NOTE: There should be at least one server

Command to set the VTP mode:

Switch(vlan)#vtp {client | server | transparent}

Verifying VTP Configuration

To verify VTP configuration settings on a Cisco IOS command-based switch:

To Display Advertisement Status

To display statistics about advertisements sent and received on the switch:

More on VTP Modes

VTP servers
can create, modify, and delete VLAN and VLAN configuration parameters for the entire domain VTP servers save VLAN configuration information in the switch NVRAM VTP servers send VTP messages out to all trunk ports.

VTP clients
cannot create, modify, or delete VLAN information. only role of VTP clients is to process VLAN changes and send VTP messages out all trunk ports

VTP transparent mode

forwards VTP advertisements but ignores information contained in the message. will not modify its database when updates are received Except for forwarding VTP advertisements, VTP is disabled on a transparent switch.

VTP Advertisements
Two types of VTP advertisements:
Requests from clients Responses from servers

Configuration revision number

Each advertisement starts as configuration revision number 0 When changes are made, the configuration revision number is increased incrementally by one, (n + 1). Max revision number is 2,147,483,648 then counter will reset back to zero

VTP Messages
There are three types of VTP messages:
Advertisement requests Summary advertisements Subset advertisements

Advertisement Requests
VTP Clients use advertisement requests to
request VLAN information from a VTP server
The server then responds with summary and subset advertisements

Summary Advertisements
By default, server and client Catalyst switches issue summary advertisements every 5 minutes. Servers inform neighbor switches what they believe to be the current VTP configuration revision number
Assuming the domain names match, the receiving server or client compares the configuration revision number If the revision number in the advertisement is higher than the current revision number in the receiving switch, the receiving switch then issues an advertisement request for new VLAN information.

Subset Advertisements
Subset advertisements contain detailed information about VLANs such as VTP version type domain name configuration revision number The following can trigger these advertisements: Creating or deleting a VLAN Suspending or activating a VLAN Changing the name of a VLAN Changing the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of a VLAN

Review of VLAN Basics

VLAN Review
A VLAN is a logical grouping of devices or users that can be grouped by function, department, or application regardless of their physical location. VLANs are configured at the switch through software. VLANs can span single building infrastructures or interconnected buildings.

VLANs share the same broadcast domain or Layer 3 network.

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