Download the Troubleshooting Packet Tracer File Here
VTP server/client mode switches do not save the entire VTP/VLAN configuration to the startup config file in the NVRAM when you issue the copy running-config startup-config command on these systems. It saves the configuration in the vlan.dat file. This does not apply to systems that run as VTP transparent. VTP transparent systems save the entire VTP/VLAN configuration to the startup config file in NVRAM when you issue the copy running-config startup-config command. For example, if you delete vlan.dat file after the configuration of the VTP in server or client mode and reload the switch, it resets the VTP configuration to default settings. However, if you configure VTP in transparent mode, delete the vlan.dat and reload the switch. This retains the VTP configuration.
There are three modes of VTP, these are:
VTP Modes
You can configure a switch to operate in any one of these VTP modes:
- Server—In VTP server mode, you can create, modify, and delete VLANs and specify other configuration parameters, such as VTP version and VTP pruning, for the entire VTP domain. VTP servers advertise their VLAN configuration to other switches in the same VTP domain and synchronize their VLAN configuration with other switches based on advertisements received over trunk links. VTP server is the default mode.
- Client—VTP clients behave the same way as VTP servers, but you cannot create, change, or delete VLANs on a VTP client.
- Transparent—VTP transparent switches do not participate in VTP. A VTP transparent switch does not advertise its VLAN configuration and does not synchronize its VLAN configuration based on received advertisements, but transparent switches do forward VTP advertisements that they receive out their trunk ports in VTP Version 2.
