Transition Networks
S4224 Web User Guide
33558 Rev. C
Page 158 of 669
Bridge Settings
S4224 STP Bridge configuration is done from the
Configuration >
Spanning Tree
>
Bridge Settings
menu path.
This page lets you configure STP system settings, which are used by all S4224 STP Bridge instances.
Basic Settings
Protocol Version
The STP protocol version setting. Valid values are
STP
,
RSTP
and
MSTP
. The default is
MSTP
.
MSTP
: MSTP (Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol) is an evolution of RSTP. The MSTP protocol
provides for multiple spanning tree instances, while ensuring RSTP and STP compatibility. The IEEE
802.1Q-2005 standard, section 13 discusses MSTP. For MSTP details see
http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/download/802.1Q-2005.pdf
. MSTP works over VLAN instances,
and multiple VLANs can be added to an MSTI; however, at any time a VLAN can only be part of one
MSTI. Configuration for each MSTI and the VLANs that belong to that instance is supported. The
S4224 also supports configuration of enabling/disabling BPDU guard, path cost for that port,
restricting topology change notification, etc. Note that MSTP is disabled on the S4224 MGMT/data
port.
RSTP
:
IEEE with document 802.1w introduced an evolution of STP: the Rapid Spanning Tree
Protocol, which provides for faster spanning tree convergence after a topology change. The IEEE
802.1D-2004 standard now incorporates RSTP and obsoletes STP, while at the same time being
backwards-compatible with STP. The IEEE 802.1D-2004 standard, section 17 discusses RSTP.
See
http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/download/8021D-2004.pdf
RSTP switch port states include
Discarding (no user data is sent over the port), Learning (the port is not forwarding frames yet, but is
populating its MAC-address-table), and Forwarding (the port is fully operational).
STP
: Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is an OSI layer-2 protocol that ensures a loop free topology for
any bridged LAN. The original STP protocol is now obsolete by RSTP.