Overview of VCMP

Definition

The Virtual Local Area Network Central Management Protocol (VCMP), a Layer 2 protocol in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model, transmits VLAN information and ensures consistent VLAN information on the Layer 2 network.

Purpose

In most cases, switches on an enterprise network need to synchronize VLAN information with each other to ensure that they can correctly forward data. On a small-scale enterprise network, the network administrator can log in to each switch to configure and maintain VLANs. On a large-scale enterprise network, a lot of switches are deployed, so a large amount of VLAN information needs to be configured and maintained. If the network administrator manually configures and maintains all VLANs, the workload is heavy and VLAN information may be inconsistent.

VCMP is used to implement centralized VLAN management. The network administrator simply needs to configure and maintain VLANs (for example, creating and deleting VLANs) on one switch. Then the changes will be automatically synchronized to all the switches in the specified domain without manual intervention. In this way, the configuration workload is reduced and VLAN information consistency is ensured.

• VCMP can only help the network administrator synchronize VLAN information but not dynamically assign VLANs. VCMP is often used with Link-type Negotiation Protocol (LNP) to simplify user configurations. For details about LNP, see LNP.

• Generic VLAN Registration Protocol (GVRP) can reduce VLAN configurations and dynamically assign interfaces to VLANs. GVRP creates dynamic VLANs, but VCMP creates static VLANs.

Benefits to Customers