VTP roll change (Server--> Transperant) query

[mvsheik123]

Hi All,

I have inherited a network comprising of approx 8-10 switches (Cat OS & IOS as well). All the switches initially set to VTP server mode. Any vlan change (addition/deleting) on one switch automatically replicating to all other and making that (on which original change) switch as vtp updater on rest of the switches. See below example:

Change made (deleting vlan)on 192.168.29.2.

********************************

192.168.29.4> (enable) sh vtp domain

Version : running VTP1 (VTP3 capable)

Domain Name : TEST Password : not configured

Notifications: disabled Updater ID: 192.168.29.2

Feature Mode Revision

-------------- -------------- -----------

VLAN Server 42

***********************************

Also version is mixure of VTP1&2. Now...

1. If one switch goes down, does that have any impact on other switch vlan database..?

2. Also, to make it simple, I want to convert the VTP to transperantmode (From all SERVER), can I pickup any switch to start doing that or any particular (ex:updater) to start with..?

3. Lastly, any impact in converting them to Transperant (as those updating the VLAN data base)?

Thank you in advance

MS

[Jon Marshall]

MS

1) No, a switch going down whether it's a VTP server or not will not impact the other vlan databases.

2) Yes you can pick any switch as they are all VTP server at present.

3) Only impact is you have to manually update the switch with vlan changes.

There is nothing inherently special about the updater. If all your switches are running in VTP server mode then you could choose any of the switches to make a change to the vlan database and this would propogate to all your other VTP server switches.

Jon

[Jerry Ye]

1. A down switch will not impact the VLAN database. If you are inserting a switch (server or client mode) with a higher revision number, this will overwrite your VTP domain (lower revision number) and might cause outage.

2. You can pick up any switch to start the conversion, shouldn't matter.

3. The only thing I can think of is if you have VTP pruning enabled, you have to manually prune the VLAN's on your trunk port.

Lastly, I will test this in a lab before doing this to the production network.

HTH,

jerry

[mvsheik123]

Great..thank you both. So, as there are multiple Vlans on each switch and all switches DOES NOT have ports assigned to all vlans (ex: servers are on only 2 switches but vlan exists on all switches with no active ports), removing server vlan from any of the switch where no active ports existing will cause impact on switch where servers are connected.. is that correct..?

Also, leaving the existing scenario intact and add a new switch with VTP mode Tranperant with same VTP domain name will not have any impact (except that transperant switch, manual vlan updates necessary).

TIA

MS

[Jerry Ye]

Hi MS,

You are correct.

Regards,

jerry

[mvsheik123]

thanks again.

[Jerry Ye]

Hi MS,

My previous answer is for your question "Also, leaving the existing scenario intact and add a new switch with VTP mode Tranperant with same VTP domain name will not have any impact (except that transperant switch, manual vlan updates necessary)."

So, for the other question "as there are multiple Vlans on each switch and all switches DOES NOT have ports assigned to all vlans (ex: servers are on only 2 switches but vlan exists on all switches with no active ports), removing server vlan from any of the switch where no active ports existing will cause impact on switch where servers are connected.. is that correct..?"

This situation can only exist in Transparent mode. Since if you have Server/Client setup, VTP server will populate all VLAN's to all its client/other servers, there is no way to control which VLAN to be send to which client/server in the Server/Client mode.

Regards,

jerry