Asante Technologies 9000 manual Spanning Tree Protocol, Overview

5 Advanced Management

This chapter describes advanced topics for SNMP and RMON management of the IntraChassis 9000, Multicast Traffic Management, and configuration of Spanning Tree Protocol parameters.

Spanning Tree Protocol

The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a part of the IEEE 802.1D standard that provides for redundancy in a bridged LAN by allowing multiple links between points in the LAN.

Without the use of STP, multiple links in a bridged network will result in bridging loops, which allow excess broadcast traffic which can bring down an entire network.

Overview

The spanning tree protocol reduces a network with multiple, redundant connections to one in which all points are connected (the protocol spans the network), but in which there is only one path between any two points (the paths are branched, as in a tree).

For example, in a large network with multiple paths, the same message will get broadcast over the network through multiple paths, resulting in a great amount of extra network traffic, and possibly, network downtime. This “closed path” or “bridged loop” among the networks can also start an unending packet-passing process.

▲Important: To explain STP more effectively, the IntraChas- sis 9000 is described as a bridge for this section of the man- ual.

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