D-Link 3100 24 User Manual - Page 86

DGS-3100 Series Gigabit Stackable Managed Switch User Manual Configuring Spanning Tree Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) provides tree topography for any arrangement of bridges, as well as providing a single path between end stations on a network, thus eliminating loops. Loops occur when alternate routes exist between hosts. Loops in an extended network can cause bridges to forward traffic indefinitely, resulting in increased traffic and reducing network efficiency. The device supports the following STP versions: Version Classic STP Description Provides a single path between end stations, preventing loops from occurring. Rapid STP Detects and uses network topologies that provide faster convergence of the spanning tree, without creating forwarding loops. Multiple STP Provides various load balancing scenarios. For example, if port A is blocked in one STP instance, the same port can be placed in Forwarding State in another STP instance. The STP Bridge Global Settings Page contains parameters for enabling STP on the device. This section contains the following topics: • Defining Spanning Tree Global Parameters • Defining STP Port Settings • Defining Multiple Spanning Tree Configuration Identification • Defining MSTP Port Information 74