Spanning Tree Protocol; Stp/Rstp Overview; Stp Terminology - ZyXEL Communications VES1724-56 User Manual

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
• IEEE 802.1s Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol
The Switch also allows you to set up multiple STP configurations (or trees). Ports can then be
assigned to the trees.

14.1 STP/RSTP Overview

(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 Forwarding.
Note: In this user's guide, "STP" refers to both STP and RSTP.

14.1.1 STP Terminology

The root bridge is the base of the spanning tree.
Path cost is the cost of transmitting a frame onto a LAN through that port. The recommended cost
is assigned according to the speed of the link to which a port is attached. The slower the media, the
higher the cost.
Table 55 STP Path Costs
LINK SPEED
Path Cost 4Mbps
Path Cost 10Mbps
Path Cost 16Mbps
Path Cost 100Mbps
VES1724-56 User's Guide
C
HAPTER

Spanning Tree Protocol

RECOMMENDED VALUE RECOMMENDED RANGE
250 100 to 1000
100 50 to 600
62 40 to 400
19 10 to 60
1 4
ALLOWED RANGE
1 to 65535
1 to 65535
1 to 65535
1 to 65535
160