Switch; Ringing A Network By Building Redundant Links And Connections Between Switch; What Is Spanning Tree Protocol; Spanning Tree Overview - ZyXEL Communications VES-1616 Support Notes

ZyXEL
Ringing a network by building redundant
links and connections between Switch

What is Spanning Tree Protocol?

Spanning Tree Overview

Spanning-Tree Protocol (STP) is a Layer 2 protocol designed to run on the
bridges and the switches. The specification for STP is defined in IEEE 802.1d.
The main purpose of STP is to ensure that you do not run into a loop situation
when you have redundant paths in your network. STP detects/disables network
loops and provides backup links between switches or bridges. It allows the device
to interact with other STP compliant devices in your network to ensure that only
one path exists between any two stations on the network.
The redundant topology without STP will cause the following problem:
1. Broadcast storm:
Without Spanning Tree loop avoidance mechanism, each switch will endlessly
flood broadcast packets to all ports. This situation is called broadcast storm.
When Host sends a broadcast frame, like an ARP request to Router, the
frame will be received by Switch A.
Switch A identifies the destination MAC address field (broadcast
FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF) in the frame and determine to flood it onto Segment B.
When the broadcast frame arrives at Switch B, the switch will repeat above
process, flood it to Segment A.
The broadcast frame will endlessly travel around the loop network even id the
router has already received this frame.
All contents copyright 2008 ZyXEL Communications Corporation.
VES-1616/24FA-5x Series Support Notes
91