Benefits Of VLAN Trunking Protocol

Benefits of VLAN Trunking Protocol

VLAN Trunking Protocol or VTP refers to a messaging protocol responsible for managing the renaming, deletion and addition of VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks). Cisco’s VLAN Trunking Protocol lowers administration in switched networks. The following are major benefits of VLAN Trunking Protocol.

1. Better network management
VTP lowers the possible inconsistencies in configuration that normally come about once modifications are made in a network. Such inconsistencies may lead to security violations since VLANs have the capability of cross connecting when matching names are utilized. Furthermore, they could possibly become disconnected internally when mapped from a certain LAN kind to the next. However, VLAN Trunking Protocol offers a good mapping scheme for seamless trunking in a network that uses mixed media.

2. Maintains consistency
The VLAN Trunking Protocol offers the benefit of maintaining configuration consistency throughout the whole network. This is credited to the fact that VTP utilizes trunk frames for managing any changes made to the VLANs in that particular network. This is attained through the use of a central switch found in the server mode. In fact, VTP synchronizes all the VLAN information in any VTP domain, thereby lowering the need of configuring similar VLAN data on every switch.

3. Manages Cisco switches
Another vital advantage of VLAN Trunking Protocol is that it provides an effective method of managing Cisco switches like one group for configuration purposes. This means that if the VTP has been enabled on a Cisco switch, creating a VLAN on a single switch then makes the VLAN accessible to all the switches in that VTP domain. The switch can only be a part of one VTP domain at a single time.
The key drawback of using VLAN Trunking Protocol is that looping can occur. Looping is normally very annoying as it creates duplicate emails and it may even crash the whole network.

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