VTP mode in 6509 and 2960

[mohammad saeed]

Hi guys,

What is the best practice for VTP configuration mode between : two core switches 6509 and 50 edge switches 2960.?

Is it good to make core in transparent mode and edge sw with server mode?

Thanks

Mohammad

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi,

I stay away from VTP and configure all switches as transparent mode, unless you have 100s of vlans and don't want to input them manually.

HTH

[Julio E. Moisa]

Hi

Actually both should be working with vtp transparent mode, I have read several articles and transparent is always mentioned as best practice on the switches. 

But if you want to implement it, you should use ver 2 on both device and the core should be the server. I dont think switch 2960 support vtp ver 3. Remember to use authentication. 

Regards.  

[mohammad saeed]

You mean use server mode in core 6509 and transparent mode in 2960x switches?

Thanks

[Julio E. Moisa]

Hi

Core in Server mode

2960 in Client mode

Good practice with VTP implementation is put the access switches in Transparent mode first, once every VTP parameter is configured configure on them change to vtp client mode.

Remember to check the revision it should at 0 before to move to client mode on the access switches. 

show vtp status. 

Regards. 

[mohammad saeed]

Thanks Julio, but how to reset the revision number?

[Julio E. Moisa]

All the switches are set up as server by default, to reset the revision put the vtp in transparent mode, it should reset the revision. You could configure the vtp paramenters: domain, password, etc. Once you are ready change the vtp to client mode.

Remember to configure the trunk interfaces properly.

:-)

[mohammad saeed]

you mean after change into transperent mode I have to configure trunk link properly! What is special will be?

;)

Thanks

[Julio E. Moisa]

nope, hehe, in order to run vtp properly the trunk interfaces should be configured to allow all the vlans or the specific vlans for the specific switch.

Do not connect your new switch to your network with the default settings. 

Before to connect the switch to the network you must change the default vtp mode (server) to transparent mode to avoid any risk and check the revision using the command show vtp status. 

[mohammad saeed]

Thanks :)

[Julio E. Moisa · Accepted solution]

You are welcome Mohammad  :-)

If it is useful please rate the comment. Thanks

[rafael.alves]

I'd ALWAYS like to put ALL switches in transparent mode. In that way, you will avoid that any re-connected switch mess all your VLAN configuration.

Keep in mind that, regardless if the Switches are in Client/Server mode, any switch with a higher Configuration Revision that is installed to your network will mess all your configuration.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

If you're going to use VTP, versions 1 or 2, have only one switch in server mode, all others in client mode.  In versions 1 and 2, the only real difference between server mode and client mode, the former allows you to make VLAN configuration changes, the latter does not.

As the other posters have noted, VTP (versions 1 and 2) is well noted for accidentally messing up your L2.  Taking advantage of all VTP's optional parameters, not being careless, and understanding how VTP works can minimize the risk, but as the others posters have noted, using just transparent mode (or off mode), is the other way to avoid VTP messing up your L2.

Another option, if your equipment supports VTP v3, is to use that version, as that version doesn't allow the kinds of "accidents" that versions 1 and 2 are famous for.

[Julio E. Moisa]

The best practice is vtp transparent mode. Some images let you OFF the vtp.