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Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide
On the Bridge Level
Root Bridge The switch with the lowest Bridge Identifier is
the Root Bridge. Naturally, you will want the Root Bridge to be
the best switch among the switches in the loop to ensure the
highest network performance and reliability.
Bridge Identifier
Priority (a parameter that you can set) and the MAC address of
the switch. Example: 4 00 80 C8 00 01 00, where 4 is the
Bridge Priority. A lower Bridge Identifier results in a higher
priority for the switch, and thus increases it probably of being
selected as the Root Bridge.
Designated Bridge From each LAN segment, the attached
Bridge that has the lowest Root Path Cost to the Root Bridge is
the Designated Bridge. It forwards data packets for that LAN
segment. In cases where all Switches have the same Root Path
Cost, the switch with the lowest Bridge Identifier becomes the
Designated Bridge.
Root Path Cost The Root Path Cost of a switch is the sum of
the Path Cost of the Root Port and the Root Path Costs of all
the switches that the packet goes through. The Root Path Cost
of the Root Bridge is zero.
Bridge Priority This is a parameter that users can set. The
smaller the number you set, the higher the Bridge Priority is.
The higher the Bridge Priority, the better the chance the
Switch will be selected as the Root Bridge.
On the Port Level
Root Port Each switch has a Root Port. This is the port that
has the lowest Path Cost to the Root Bridge. In case there are
several such ports, then the one with the lowest Port Identifier
is the Root Port.
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This is the combination of the Bridge
Switch Management Concepts
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