Spanning Tree Protocol; Spanning Tree Protocol Overview; What You Can Do; What You Need To Know - ZyXEL Communications XGS1930-28 User Manual

Spanning Tree Protocol

13.1 Spanning Tree Protocol Overview

The Switch supports Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) and Multiple
Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) as defined in the following standards.
• IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol
• IEEE 802.1w Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol
The Switch also allows you to set up multiple STP configurations (or trees). Ports can then be assigned to
the trees.

13.1.1 What You Can Do

• Use the Spanning Tree Protocol Status screen
different STP modes (RSTP or MSTP) you can configure on the Switch.
• Use the Spanning Tree Configuration screen
modes on the Switch.
• Use the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol Status screen
• Use the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol screen
• Use the Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol screen
• Use the Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol Status screen
status.

13.1.2 What You Need to Know

Read on for concepts on STP that can help you configure the screens in this chapter.
(Rapid) Spanning Tree Protocol
(R)STP detects and breaks network loops and provides backup links between switches, bridges or
routers. It allows a switch to interact with other (R)STP-compliant switches in your network to ensure that
only one path exists between any two stations on the network.
The Switch uses IEEE 802.1w RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) that allows faster convergence of the
spanning tree than STP (while also being backwards compatible with STP-only aware bridges). In RSTP,
topology change information is directly propagated throughout the network from the device that
generates the topology change. In STP, a longer delay is required as the device that causes a topology
change first notifies the root bridge that then notifies the network. Both RSTP and STP flush unwanted
learned addresses from the filtering database. In RSTP, the port states are Discarding, Learning, and
Chapter 13 Spanning Tree Protocol
(Section 13.2 on page
(Section 13.3 on page
(Section 13.5 on page
(Section 13.6 on page
XGS1930 Series User's Guide
137
C
H A P T E R
139) to view the STP status in the
140) to activate one of the STP
(Section 13.4 on page 140) to view the RSTP status.
142) to configure RSTP settings.
143) to configure MSTP.
(Section 13.7 on page
13
147) to view the MSTP