The tree modes a VTP \textit{enabled} device can operate are
\begin{itemize}
\item Transparent
\item Server
\item Client
\end{itemize}
Of course you can \textit{disable} VTP altogether.
Key things to be aware of \textit{before} enabling VTP in your environment is to make double sure of only having 1 VTP domain. \textbf{If} 2 or more VTP domains exists. Be triple sure to separate them! As to avoid having an VTP server DB overridden with data from another VTP domain.
The three VTP modes \textit{operates} as follow
\begin{itemize}
\item Transparent
\begin{itemize}
\item Creates, modifies and deletes \textit{local} vlans only
\item Forwards advertisements
\item Does \textit{not} synchronizes vlan configurations.
\end{itemize}
\item Server
\begin{itemize}
\item Creates, modifies and deletes vlans
\item Sends and forwards advertisements
\item Synchronizes vlan configurations
\end{itemize}
\begin{itemize}
\item Cannot create, modify or delete vlans
\item Send and forwards advertisements
\item Synchronizes vlan configurations
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
\subsubsection{VTP Announcement}
VTP operates with announcements sent out in intervals. Summarized it amounts to
\begin{itemize}
\item 1 \textit{summary} announcement per 5th minute from the server
\item The summary announcement informs clients of the current revision
\item An announcement is sent out \textit{on the spot} when a change has been made on the VTP server
\end{itemize}
Do remember it is \textbf{only} the VTP server which has the vlan configuration stored \textbf{on disk}. All device clients and transparent nodes do only store the vlans delegated by VTP in memory.
\subsubsection{Common Issues}
\begin{itemize}
\item Different/Incompatible VTP versions
\item Wrong password
\item Incorrect mode name
\item No server set (all devices configured in transparent/client/vtp disabled mode)
\end{itemize}
\subsubsection{VTP Versions}
\begin{itemize}
\item Version 1
\item Version 2
\begin{itemize}
\item Version-dependent transparent mode
\item Consistencycheck
\item Token ring support
\item Unrecognized type-length-value support
\end{itemize}
\item Version 3 (not "yet" common)
\begin{itemize}
\item Extended VLAN support: Allow ranges are 1-1005,1018-2095. Not mentioned vlans ranges up to 4095 is still reserved.
\item Domain name is not automatically learned.
\item Better security.
\item Better database propagation.
\item MST now supported.
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
\subsubsection{VTP Pruning}
The art of only allowing the vlan traffic to flow on \textit{necessary} links.
This means if there are no clients in a vlan on a device. Then no traffic for the inactive vlans is send down-/upstream on the link in question.
\fig{vtp/vtp-pruning}{vtpruning1}{VTP Pruning}
\subsubsection{Security}
It is \textbf{strongly} recommended to enable the security features supported in VTP.
\textbf{Password:} MD5 hashing, Case-sensitive, Length between 8 and 64 chars.
As the network grows and grows and grows and grows some more over long/short timespans. You will \textbf{for certain} come to cross-rode, where you \textbf{must} consider to go away from using VTP in the network. The problems of managing an elderly network and wiping and re-introducing nodes in the network. You \textbf{will} face the issue of a wiped vlan database from the VTP domain.