CHAPTER
7-1
Ethernet Card Software Feature and Configuration Guide, R7.2
January 2009
7
Configuring STP and RSTP
This chapter describes the IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) and the ML-Series
implementation of the IEEE 802.1W Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP). It also explains how to
configure STP and RSTP on the ML-Series card.
This chapter consists of these sections:
STP Features, page 7-1
RSTP, page 7-9
Interoperability with IEEE 802.1D STP, page 7-15
Configuring STP and RSTP Features, page 7-15
Verifying and Monitoring STP and RSTP Status, page 7-20

STP Features

These sections describe how the spanning-tree features work:
STP Overview, page 7-2
Supported STP Instances, page 7-2
Bridge Protocol Data Units, page 7-2
Election of the Root Switch, page 7-3
Bridge ID, Switch Priority, and Extended System ID, page 7-4
Spanning-Tree Timers, page 7-4
Creating the Spanning-Tree Topology, page 7-4
Spanning-Tree Interface States, page 7-5
Spanning-Tree Address Management, page 7-8
STP and IEEE 802.1Q Trunks, page 7-8
Spanning Tree and Redundant Connectivity, page 7-8
Accelerated Aging to Retain Connectivity, page 7-9