10-5
Cisco Systems IntelligentGigabit Ethernet Switch Modules for the IBM BladeCenter, Software Configuration Guide
24R9746
Chapter10 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 determine whether the legacy switch has been removed from the link
unless the legacy switch is the designated switch. A switch might also continue 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 configurat ion and TCN BPDUs or
version 3 MSTP BPDUs on a boundary port. A boundary port connec ts to a LAN, the designated switch
of which is either a single spanning-tree switch or a switch w ith 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 10-5
•Rapid Convergence, page 10-6
•Synchronization of Port Roles, page 10-7
•Bridge Protocol Data Unit Format and Processing, page 10-8
For configuration information, see the “Configuring MSTP Features” section on page 10-10.

Port Roles and the Active Topology

The RSTP provides rapid convergence of the spanning tree by assigning port roles and by de termining
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 9-3. Then the RSTP assigns one of these port roles 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 through 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 design ated 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 port with the alternate or
backup port role is excluded from the active topology.