Configuring MVRP MRP Overview
OmniSwitch AOS Release 7 Network Configuration Guide June 2013 page 12-5
MRP Overview
Multiple Registration Protocol (MRP) was introduced as a replacement for GARP with the IEEE
802.1ak-2007 amendment. The Multiple VLAN Registration Protocol (MVRP) defines a MRP
Application that provides the VLAN registration service.
MVRP provides a mechanism for dynamic maintenance of the contents of dynamic VLAN registration
Entries for each VLAN, and for propagating the information they contain to other bridges. This
information allows MVRP-aware devices to dynamically establish and update their knowledge of the set
of VLANs that currently have active members, and through which ports those members can be reached.
The main purpose of MVRP is to allow switches to automatically discover some of the VLAN
information that would otherwise have to be manually configured.
MVRP Overview
MVRP acts as an MRP application, sending and receiving MVRP information encapsulated in an ethernet
frame on a specific MAC address. MVRP allows both end stations and bridges in a bridged local area
network to issue and revoke declarations relating to membership of VLANs. Each MVRP device that
receives the declaration in the network creates or updates a dynamic VLAN registration entry in the
filtering database to indicate that the VLAN is registered on the reception port.
In this way, MVRP provides a method to share VLAN information within a layer 2 network dynamically,
and configure the required VLANs. For example, in order to add a switch port to a VLAN, only the end
port, or the VLAN-supporting network device connected to the switchport, must be reconfigured, and all
necessary VLAN trunks are dynamically created on the other MVRP-enabled switches. Without using
MVRP, either a manual configuration of VLAN trunks or use of a manufacturer specific proprietary
method is necessary. MVRP helps to maintain VLAN configuration dynamically based on current network
configurations.
How MVRP Works
An MVRP enabled port sends MRPDUs advertising the VLAN enabling another MVRP aware port
receiving advertisements over a link to join the advertised VLAN dynamically. All ports of a dynamic
VLAN operate as tagged ports for that VLAN.
An MVRP enabled port can forward an advertisement for a VLAN it learned about from other ports on the
same switch. However, the forwarding port does not join that VLAN on its own until an advertisement for
that VLAN is received on that same port.
The following example illustrates the VLAN advertisements.
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