AT-GS950/16PS Switch Web Interface User’s Guide
Point-to-Point Ports
Figure 17. Point-to-Point Ports
A port operates as an edge port when it is connected to a network terminal device such as a workstation or a server. An edge port on a bridge should not have any STP or RSTP devices connected to it either directly or through another device connected to that port. In this configuration since the port has no STP or RSTP devices connected to it, it will always forward network traffic. Figure 18 illustrates a port functioning as an edge port.
Mixed STP and RSTP Networks
Edge Port
Workstation
Figure 18. Edge Port
RSTP IEEE 802.1w is fully compliant with STP IEEE 802.1d. Your network can consist of bridges running both protocols. STP and RSTP in the same network can operate together to create a single spanning tree domain.
If you decide to activate spanning tree on the switch, Allied Telesis recommends RSTP instead of STP even when all of other switches in the network are running STP. The AT-GS950/16PS switch can combine RSTP with the STP of the other switches. The switches monitors the traffic on each port for BPDU packets. Ports that receive RSTP BPDU packets operate in RSTP mode while ports receiving STP BPDU packets operate in STP mode.
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