Gigabit Ethernet Switch Management Guide

C ONSOLE I NTERFACE
2-42
Status Displays the current state of this port within the spanning
tree:
Disabled Port has been disabled by the user or has
failed diagnostics.
No Link There is no valid link on the port.
Blocking Port receives STA configuration messages,
but does not forward packets.
Listening Port will leave blocking state due to
topology change, starts transmitting
configuration messages, but does not yet
forward packets.
Learning Has transmitted configuration messages for
an interval set by the Forward Delay
parameter without receiving contradictory
information. Port address table is cleared,
and the port begins learning addresses.
Forwarding The port forwards packets, and continues
learning addresses.
The rules defining port status are:
• A port on a network segment with no other
STA-compliant bridging device is always forwarding.
• If two ports of a switch are connected to the same
segment and there is no other STA device attached to
this segment, the port with the smaller ID forwards
packets and the other is blocked.
• All ports are blocked when the switch is booted, then
some of them change state to listening, to learning,
and then to forwarding.
Designated
Cost
The cost for a packet to travel from this port to the root
in the current spanning tree configuration. The slower
the media, the higher the cost.
Designated
Bridge (ID)
The priority and MAC address of the device through
which this port must communicate to reach the root of
the spanning tree.
Parameter Description