Using Resilience Features; Spanning Tree Protocol (Stp) - 3Com 3C17300-US Implementation Manual

4
Spanning Tree
Protocol (STP)
U R
SING ESILIENCE
Setting up resilience on your network helps protect critical links against
failure, protects against network loops, and reduces network downtime
to a minimum.
This chapter explains the features supported by the Switch that provide
resilience for your network. It covers the following topics:

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)

■
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP)
■
STP feature.
For detailed descriptions of the web interface operations and the
command line interface (CLI) commands that you require to manage the
Switch please refer to the Management Interface Reference Guide
supplied in HTML format on the CD-ROM that accompanies your Switch.
The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) makes your network more resilient to
link failure and also provides a protection from loops — one of the major
causes of broadcast storms. STP is enabled by default on your Switch.
To be fully effective, STP must be enabled on all Switches in your
network.
RSTP provides the same functionality as STP. For details on how the two
systems differ, see "How RSTP Differs to STP"
The following sections explain more about STP and the protocol features
supported by your Switch. They cover the following topics:
What is STP?
■
How STP Works
■
Using STP on a Network with Multiple VLANs
■
F
EATURES
an enhanced version of the
—
on page 45.