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Catalyst 2960 Switch SoftwareConfiguration Guide
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Chapter16 Configuring MSTP
Understanding RSTP
However, the switch does not automatically revert to the MSTP mode if it no longer receives
IEEE 802.1D BPDUs because it cannot detect whethe r the legacy switch has been removed from the link
unless the legacy switch is the designated switch. A switch might also cont inue to assign a boundary role
to a port when the switch to which this switch is connected has joined the region. To restart the protocol
migration process (force the renegotiation with neighboring switches), use the clear spanning-tree
detected-protocols privileged EXEC command.
If all the legacy switches on the link are RSTP switches, they can process MSTP BPDUs as if they are
RSTP BPDUs. Therefore, MSTP switches send either a Version 0 configuration and TCN BPDUs or
Version3 MSTP BPDUs on a boundary por t. A boundary port connects to a LAN, the designated switch
of which is either a single spanning-tree switch or a switch with a different MST configuration.
Understanding RSTP
The RSTP takes advantage of point-to-point wiring and provides rapid convergence of the spanning tree.
Reconfiguration of the spanning tree can occur in less than 1 second (in contrast to 50 seconds with the
default settings in the IEEE 802.1D spanning tree).
These section describes how the RSTP works:
•Port Roles and the Active Topology, page 16-6
•Rapid Convergence, page 16-7
•Synchronization of Port Roles, page 16-8
•Bridge Protocol Data Unit Format and Processing, page 16-9
For configuration information, see the “Configuring MSTP Features” section on page 16-11.

Port Roles and the Active Topology

The RSTP provides rapid convergence of the spanning tree by assigning port roles and by learning the
active topology. The RSTP builds upon the IEEE 802.1D STP to select the switch with the highest switch
priority (lowest numerical priority value) as the root switch as described in the “Spanning-Tree Topology
and BPDUs” section on page 15-3. Then the RSTP assigns one of these port rol es to individual ports:
•Root port—Provides the best path (lowest cost) when the switch forwards packets to the root switch.
•Designated port—Connects to the designated switch, which incurs the lowest path cost when
forwarding packets from that LAN to the root switch. The port th rough which the designated switch
is attached to the LAN is called the designated port.
•Alternate port—Offers an alternate path toward the root switch to that provided by the current root
port.
•Backup port—Acts as a backup for the path provided by a designated port toward the leaves of the
spanning tree. A backup port can exist only when two ports are connected in a loopback by a
point-to-point link or when a switch has two or more connections to a shared LAN segment.
•Disabled port—Has no role within the operation of the spanning tree.
A port with the root or a designated port role is included in the active topology. A p ort with the alternate
or backup port role is excluded from the active topology.