STP & RSTP - Spanning and Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol

Slide Presentation

Ethernet networks require a loop-free topology, otherwise more and more broadcast and unknown unicast frames would swamp the network (creation of frame duplicates resulting in a broadcast storm). Spanning Tree Protocol (IEEE 802.1D) and its faster successor RSTP (IEEE 802.1w) provide loop prevention in bridged networks by establising a loop-free tree of forwarding paths between any two bridges in a network with multiple physical paths. If a link fails, STP and RSTP automatically establishes a new loop-free topology. This presentation describes in detail how STP and RSTP work along with typical examples.

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