Cisco SFE1000P Administration Guide - Page 82

Chapter SFE1000P Gigabit Ethernet Switch Administration Guide 11 Configuring Spanning Tree The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) provides tree topography for any arrangement of bridges. STP also provides one path between end stations on a network, 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 Spanning Tree versions: • Classic STP - Provides a single path between end stations, avoiding and eliminating loops. • Rapid STP - Detects and uses network topologies that provide faster convergence of the spanning tree, without creating forwarding loops. • Multiple STP - Provides full connectivity for packets allocated to any VLAN. Multiple STP is based on the RSTP. In addition, Multiple STP transmits packets assigned to different VLANs through different MST regions. MST regions act as a single bridge. • The Spanning Tree section contains the following pages: • Defining STP Properties • Defining Interface Settings • Defining Rapid Spanning Tree • Defining Multiple Spanning Tree Chapter 11: Configuring Spanning Tree 74