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GARP VLAN Registration (GVRP)
The Dell Networking operating system supports the basic GVRP commands on the Dell Networking OS.
The generic attribute registration protocol (GARP) mechanism allows the configuration of a GARP
participant to propagate through a network quickly. A GARP participant registers or de-registers its
attributes with other participants by making or withdrawing declarations of attributes. At the same time,
based on received declarations or withdrawals, GARP handles attributes of other participants.
GVRP enables a device to propagate local VLAN registration information to other participant devices and
dynamically update the VLAN registration information from other devices. The registration information
updates local databases regarding active VLAN members and through which port the VLANs can be
reached.
GVRP ensures that all participants on a bridged LAN maintain the same VLAN registration information.
The VLAN registration information propagated by GVRP includes both manually configured local static
entries and dynamic entries from other devices.
GVRP participants have the following components:
• The GVRP application
• GARP information propagation (GIP)
• GARP information declaration (GID)
Important Points to Remember
• GVRP is supported on Layer 2 ports only.
• All VLAN ports added by GVRP are tagged.
• GVRP is supported on untagged ports belonging to a default VLAN and tagged ports.
• GVRP cannot be enabled on untagged ports belonging to a non-default VLAN unless native VLAN is
turned on.
• GVRP requires end stations with dynamic access NICs.
• Based on updates from GVRP-enabled devices, GVRP allows the system to dynamically create a port-
based VLAN (unspecified) with a specific VLAN ID and a specific port.
• On a port-by-port basis, GVRP allows the system to learn about GVRP updates to an existing port-
based VLAN with that VLAN ID and IEEE 802.1Q tagging.
• GVRP allows the system to send dynamic GVRP updates about your existing port-based VLAN.
• GVRP updates are not sent to any blocked spanning tree protocol (STP) ports. GVRP operates only on
ports that are in the forwarding state.
• GVRP operates only on ports that are in the STP forwarding state. If you enable GVRP, a port that
changes to the STP Forwarding state automatically begin to participate in GVRP. A port that changes
to an STP state other than forwarding no longer participates in GVRP.
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