Consolidated Platform Configuration Guide, Cisco Ios Release 15.2(4)E (Catalyst 2960-X Switches - Cisco Catalyst 2960 series Configuration Manual

Information About Spanning Tree Protocol
Related Topics
Configuring the Root Switch , on page 227
Bridge ID, Device Priority, and Extended System ID, on page 214
Spanning-Tree Topology and BPDUs, on page 213
Accelerated Aging to Retain Connectivity, on page 220
Information About Spanning Tree Protocol
Spanning Tree Protocol
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a Layer 2 link management protocol that provides path redundancy while
preventing loops in the network. For a Layer 2 Ethernet network to function properly, only one active path
can exist between any two stations. Multiple active paths among end stations cause loops in the network. If
a loop exists in the network, end stations might receive duplicate messages. Switches might also learn
end-station MAC addresses on multiple Layer 2 interfaces. These conditions result in an unstable network.
Spanning-tree operation is transparent to end stations, which cannot detect whether they are connected to a
single LAN segment or a switched LAN of multiple segments.
The STP uses a spanning-tree algorithm to select one switch of a redundantly connected network as the root
of the spanning tree. The algorithm calculates the best loop-free path through a switched Layer 2 network by
assigning a role to each port based on the role of the port in the active topology:
• Root—A forwarding port elected for the spanning-tree topology
• Designated—A forwarding port elected for every switched LAN segment
• Alternate—A blocked port providing an alternate path to the root bridge in the spanning tree
• Backup—A blocked port in a loopback configuration
The switch that has all of its ports as the designated role or as the backup role is the root switch. The switch
that has at least one of its ports in the designated role is called the designated switch.
Spanning tree forces redundant data paths into a standby (blocked) state. If a network segment in the spanning
tree fails and a redundant path exists, the spanning-tree algorithm recalculates the spanning-tree topology and
activates the standby path. Switches send and receive spanning-tree frames, called bridge protocol data units
(BPDUs), at regular intervals. The switches do not forward these frames but use them to construct a loop-free
path. BPDUs contain information about the sending switch and its ports, including switch and MAC addresses,
switch priority, port priority, and path cost. Spanning tree uses this information to elect the root switch and
root port for the switched network and the root port and designated port for each switched segment.
When two ports on a switch are part of a loop, the spanning-tree and path cost settings control which port is
put in the forwarding state and which is put in the blocking state. The spanning-tree port priority value
represents the location of a port in the network topology and how well it is located to pass traffic. The path
cost value represents the media speed.
By default, the switch sends keepalive messages (to ensure the connection is up) only on interfaces that
Note
do not have small form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules. You can change the default for an interface by
entering the [no] keepalive interface configuration command with no keywords.

Consolidated Platform Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS Release 15.2(4)E (Catalyst 2960-X Switches)

212