SMC Networks 8624T Installation Manual page 19

Spanning Tree Protocol
The TigerSwitch 10/100/1000 supports IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree
Protocol. This protocol adds a level of fault tolerance by allowing two or
more redundant connections to be created between a pair of LAN
segments. When there are multiple physical paths between segments, the
protocol will choose a single path and disable all others to ensure that only
one route exists between any two stations on the network. This prevents
the creation of network loops. However, if the chosen path should fail for
any reason, an alternate path will be activated to maintain the connection.
The default setting for the Spanning Tree Protocol is "enabled." This
protocol may be configured out-of-band via the serial console port, or
in-band via the Web interface, Telnet, or SNMP network management
software.
VLANs
The TigerSwitch 10/100/1000 supports up to 255 VLANs. A Virtual
LAN is a collection of network nodes that share the same collision domain
regardless of their physical location or connection point in the network. By
segmenting your network into VLANs, you can:
• Eliminate broadcast storms which severely degrade performance in a
flat network.
• Simplify network management for node changes/moves by remotely
configuring VLAN membership for any port, rather than having to
manually change the node's IP address.
• Provide data security by restricting all traffic to the originating VLAN,
except where a connection is explicitly defined via the switch's routing
service.
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