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Catalyst 2940 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter12 Configuring Optiona l Spa nning-Tree Features Understanding Optional Spanning-Tree Features
Figure12-3 UplinkFast Example Before Direct Link Failure
If Switch C detects a link failure on the currently active link L2 on the root port (a direct link failure),
UplinkFast unblocks the blocked port on Switch C and transitions it to the forwarding state without
going through the listening and learning states, as shown in Figure 12-4. This change takes
approximately 1 to 5 seconds.
Figure12-4 UplinkFast Example After Direct Link Failure
Understanding BackboneFast
BackboneFast detects indirect failures in the core of the backbone. BackboneFast is a complementary
technology to the UplinkFast feature, which responds to failures on links directly connected to access
switches. BackboneFast optimizes the maximum-ag e time r, which deter mine s the am ount of tim e the
switch stores protocol information received on an interface. When a switch receives an inferior BPDU
from the designated port of another switch, the BPDU is a signal tha t the o ther sw it ch m ight have lost
its path to the root, and BackboneFast tries to find an alter nat e p ath t o the ro ot.
BackboneFast, which is enabled by using the spanning-tree backbonefast global configuration
command, starts when a root port or blocked port on a switch receives inferior BPDUs from its
designated switch. An inferior BPDU identifies a switch that declares itself as both the root bridge and
the designated switch. When a switch receives an inferior BPDU, it means that a link to which the switch
is not directly connected (an indirect link) has failed (that is, the designated bridge has lost its connection
to the root switch). Under spanning-tree rules, the switch ignores inferior BPDUs for the configured
maximum aging time specified by the vlan vlan-id global configuration command.
L1
L2 L3
Switch C
Switch A
(Root) Switch B
Blocked port
87817
L1
L2 L3
Switch C
Switch A
(Root) Switch B
UplinkFast transitions port
directly to forwarding state.
Link failure
87818