About GVRP
GVRP (GARP VLAN Registration Protocol)
is an application of GARP (Generic Attribute Registration Protocol.)
It enables a switch to dynamically create 802.1Q-compliant VLANs on
links with other devices running GVRP, and automatically create VLAN
links between GVRP-aware devices. (A GVRP link can include intermediate
devices that are not GVRP-aware.) This operation reduces the chances
for errors in VLAN configuration by automatically providing VID (VLAN
ID) consistency across the network. After the switch creates a dynamic
VLAN, the CLI static vlan-id
command can be used to convert it
to a static VLAN if desired. Also GVRP can be used to dynamically
enable port membership in static VLANs configured on a switch.
GVRP uses GVRP BPDUs (GVRP Bridge Protocol Data Units) to advertise static VLANs, and in this guide a GVRP BPDU is termed an advertisement. On a switch, advertisements are sent outbound from ports to the devices directly connected to those ports.