Specifications

ExtremeWare XOS 11.0 Concepts Guide 195
12 Spanning Tree Protocol
This chapter covers the following topics:
• Overview of the Spanning Tree Protocol on page 195
• Spanning Tree Domains on page 197
• STP Configurations on page 203
• Per VLAN Spanning Tree on page 209
• Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol on page 209
• STP Rules and Restrictions on page 220
• Configuring STP on the Switch on page 220
• Displaying STP Settings on page 225
Using the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) functionality of the switch makes your network more fault
tolerant. The following sections explain more about STP and the STP features supported by
ExtremeWare XOS.
NOTE
STP is a part of the 802.1D bridge specification defined by the IEEE Computer Society. To explain STP
in terms used by the IEEE 802.1D specification, the switch will be referred to as a bridge.
Overview of the Spanning Tree Protocol
STP is a bridge-based mechanism for providing fault tolerance on networks. STP allows you to
implement parallel paths for network traffic and to ensure that redundant paths are:
• Disabled when the main paths are operational.
• Enabled if the main path fails.
NOTE
STP and Extreme Standby Router Protocol (ESRP) cannot be configured on the same Virtual LAN
(VLAN) simultaneously.