Cisco Discovery Protocol

Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) is a proprietary protocol used by Cisco devices to share information about other directly connected Cisco equipment. CDP is a layer 2 protocol that runs on most Cisco devices, including routers, switches, and IP phones. CDP enables network administrators to identify and locate neighboring Cisco devices, gather information about their capabilities and configurations, and troubleshoot network connectivity issues.

CDP messages are sent every 60 seconds by default and include information such as the device name, IP address, interface type and number, and platform type. This information can be used to build a network topology map, identify device capabilities, and troubleshoot connectivity issues.

CDP can be disabled on specific interfaces or globally on a Cisco device. It is important to note that disabling CDP can affect network visibility and may impact network troubleshooting. Additionally, CDP is a proprietary protocol and is not supported by non-Cisco devices, limiting its interoperability with other vendors.