VTP manages configured VLANs across a switched network and maintains consistency of VLAN information throughout a VTP domain. When an administrator adds, deletes, or renames VLANs, VTP propagates this information to all other switches in the VTP domain. This makes the process of VLAN changes a plug-andplay activity. This protocol was developed by, and remains proprietary to Cisco Systems.

Broadcast control is not the primary benefit of VTP. Broadcast control is achieved by using VLANs. VLANs segment the network into logical broadcast domains. This helps in the reduction of unnecessary traffic over the network and optimizes the available bandwidth use. VTP pruning helps reduce broadcast and unknown unicast over VLAN trunk links. However, this is not the primary benefit of VTP.

Frame tagging is required for VLAN identification as frames traverse trunk links in a switch fabric. Inter-Switch Link (ISL) and IEEE 802.1q are the two methods of frame tagging available on Cisco devices. ISL is proprietary to Cisco, whereas IEEE 802.1q is a standard method. VTP is not a frame tagging method.

Inter-VLAN routing is achieved by an Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 3 device (Router). Inter-VLAN routing is not a benefit of VTP.