Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol
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RSTP supports connections to either STP or RSTP nodes by monitoring
the incoming protocol messages and dynamically adjusting the type of
protocol messages the RSTP node transmits, as described below:
STP Mode – If the switch receives an 802.1D BPDU (i.e., STP BPDU)
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after a port's migration delay timer expires, the switch assumes it is
connected to an 802.1D bridge and starts using only 802.1D
BPDUs.
RSTP Mode – If RSTP is using 802.1D BPDUs on a port and receives
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an RSTP BPDU after the migration delay expires, RSTP restarts the
migration delay timer and begins using RSTP BPDUs on that port.
Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol
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MSTP generates a unique spanning tree for each instance. This provides
multiple pathways across the network, thereby balancing the traffic
load, preventing wide-scale disruption when a bridge node in a single
instance fails, and allowing for faster convergence of a new topology for
the failed instance.
To allow multiple spanning trees to operate over the network, you
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must configure a related set of bridges with the same MSTP
configuration, allowing them to participate in a specific set of
spanning tree instances.
A spanning tree instance can exist only on bridges that have
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compatible VLAN instance assignments.
Be careful when switching between spanning tree modes. Changing
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modes stops all spanning-tree instances for the previous mode and
restarts the system in the new mode, temporarily disrupting user
traffic.
P
ARAMETERS
These parameters are displayed:
Basic Settings
Protocol Version – Specifies the type of spanning tree used on this
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switch. (Options: STP, RSTP, MSTP; Default: MSTP)
STP: Spanning Tree Protocol (IEEE 802.1D); i.e., the switch will use
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RSTP set to STP forced compatibility mode.
RSTP: Rapid Spanning Tree (IEEE 802.1w)
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MSTP: Multiple Spanning Tree (IEEE 802.1s); This is the default.
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1.
STP and RSTP BPDUs are transmitted as untagged frames, and will cross any VLAN
boundaries.
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| Configuring the Switch
C
4
HAPTER
Configuring the Spanning Tree Algorithm
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