point-to-point link, it can transit to forwarding state after getting response from the
downstream switch through handshake.
RSTP Elements
Edge Port: Indicates the port connected directly to terminals.
P2P Link: Indicates the link between two switches directly connected.
MSTP (Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol), compatible with both STP and RSTP and subject to IEEE
802.1s standard, not only enables spanning trees to converge rapidly, but also enables packets of
different VLANs to be forwarded along their respective paths so as to provide redundant links
with a better load-balancing mechanism.
Features of MSTP:
MSTP combines VLANs and spanning tree together via VLAN-to-instance mapping table. It
binds several VLANs to an instance to save communication cost and network resources.
MSTP divides a spanning tree network into several regions. Each region has several
internal spanning trees, which are independent of each other.
MSTP provides a load-balancing mechanism for the packets transmission in the VLAN.
MSTP is compatible with both STP and RSTP.
MSTP Elements
MST Region (Multiple Spanning Tree Region): An MST Region comprises switches with the same
region configuration and VLAN-to-Instances mapping relationship.
IST (Internal Spanning Tree): An IST is a spanning tree in an MST.
CST (Common Spanning Tree): A CST is the spanning tree in a switched network that connects all
MST regions in the network.
CIST (Common and Internal Spanning Tree): A CIST, comprising IST and CST, is the spanning
tree in a switched network that connects all switches in the network.
The following figure shows the network diagram in MSTP.
Figure 7-2 Basic MSTP diagram
MSTP
MSTP divides a network into several MST regions. The CST is generated between these MST
regions, and multiple spanning trees can be generated in each MST region. Each spanning tree is
called an instance. As well as STP, MSTP uses BPDUs to generate spanning tree. The only
difference is that the BPDU for MSTP carries the MSTP configuration information on the switches.
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