Port Roles - Digitalchina Networks DCS-3950 series Manual

In the above network, if the bridges are running the STP other the RSTP, one port
between Bridge M and Bridge B should be blocked. But if the bridges in the yellow range
run the MSTP and are configured in the same MST region, MSTP will treat this region as a
bridge. Therefore, one port between Bridge B and Root is blocked and one port on Bridge
D is blocked.
10.1.1.1 Operations within the same MSTP Region
The IST connects all the MSTP bridges in a region. When the IST converges, the root
of the IST becomes the IST master, which is the switch within the region with the lowest
bridge ID and path cost to the CST root. The IST master also is the CST root if there is
only one region within the network. If the CST root is outside the region, one of the MSTP
bridges at the boundary of the region is scented as the IST master.
When a MSTP bridge initializes, it sends BPDUs claiming itself as the root of the CST
and the IST master, with both of the path costs to the CST root and to the IST master set
to zero. The bridge also initializes all of its MST instances and claims to be the root for all
of them. If the bridge receives superior MST root information (lower bridge ID, lower path
cost, and so forth) than currently stored for the port, it relinquishes its claim as the IST
master.
Within a MST region, the IST is the only spanning-tree instance that sends and
receives BPDUs. Because the MST BPDU carries information for all instances, the
number of BPDUs that need to be processed by a switch to support multiple spanning-tree
instances is significantly reduced.
All MST instances within the same region share the same protocol timers, but each
MST instance has its own topology parameters, such as root switch ID, root path cost, and
so forth.
10.1.1.2 Operations between MSTP Regions
If there are multiple regions or legacy 802.1D bridges within the network, MSTP
establishes and maintains the CST, which includes all MST regions and all legacy STP
bridges in the network. The MST instances combine with the IST at the boundary of the
region to become the CST.
The MSTI is only valid within its MST region. An MSTI has nothing to do with MSTIs in
other MST regions. The bridges in a MST region receive the MST BPDU of other regions
through Boundary Ports. They only process CIST related information and abandon MSTI
information.

10.1.2 Port Roles

The MSTP bridge assigns a port role to each port which runs MSTP.
DCS-3950 series Ethernet switch manual
Fig 10-1 Understanding the CIST and MST Region
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