Implementing Spanning Tree

Describing the STP

Transparent Bridging

A switch has the same characteristics as a transparent bridge.

What Is a Bridge Loop?

Bridge loops can occur any time there is a redundant path or loop
in the bridge network.

Preventing Bridge Loops

Bridge loops can be prevented by disabling the redundant path.

802.1D STP
Configured root switch
Redundant switch links
Optimal path selection

Bridge Protocol Data Unit

BPDUs provide for the exchange of information between switches.

The STP Root Bridge

Reference point
One root per VLAN
Maintains topology
Propagates timers

Root Bridge Selection Criteria

Extended System ID in Bridge ID Field

Bridge ID
Without the
Extended
System ID

Bridge ID with
the Extended
System ID

802.1D 16-bit Bridge Priority Field Using the

Extended System ID
Only four high-order bits
of the 16-bit Bridge
Priority field carry actual
priority.
Therefore, priority can be
incremented only in steps
of 4096, onto which will be
added the VLAN number.
Example:
For VLAN 11: If the priority
is left at default, the 16-bit
Priority field will hold
32768 + 11 = 32779.

215 4
bits
Priority

Priority Values (Hex)

0
1
2
.
.
8 (default)
.
.
F

12 bits

20

VLAN Number

Priority Values (Dec)

0
4096
8192
.
.
32768
.
.
61440

Configuring the Root Bridge

Switch(config)#spanning-tree vlan 1 root primary

This command forces this switch to be the root.

Switch(config)#spanning-tree vlan 1 root secondary

This command configures this switch to be the secondary root.

Or

Switch(config)#spanning-tree vlan 1 priority priority

This command statically configures the priority (in increments

of 4096).

Root Bridge Selection

Which switch has the lowest bridge ID?

Spanning Tree Operation

One root bridge
per network
One root port per
nonroot bridge
One designated
port per segment
Nondesignated
ports are blocking

Spanning Tree Port States

Spanning tree transitions each port through several
different states.

Local Switch Root Port Election

Spanning Tree Path Cost

Link Speed

Cost (Revised IEEE Spec)

Cost (Previous IEEE Spec)

10 Gbps

1 Gbps

100 Mbps

19

10

10 Mbps

100

100

Spanning Tree Protocol

Root Port Selection

SW X is the root bridge.

SW Y needs to elect a root port.
Which port is the root port on SW Y?
Fast Ethernet total cost = 0 + 19.
Ethernet total cost = 0 + 100.

STP Designated Port Selection

Switch X is the root bridge.

All ports on the root bridge are designated ports because they
have a path cost of 0.
Because the Ethernet segment has a path cost of 100, switch Y
will block on that port.
Do all segments have a designated port?

Example: Layer 2 Topology Negotiation

Enhancements to STP
PortFast
Per VLAN Spanning Tree+ (PVST+)
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP)
Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)
MSTP is also known as Multi-Instance Spanning Tree
Protocol (MISTP) on Cisco Catalyst 6500 switches and
above
Per VLAN Rapid Spanning Tree (PVRST)

Describing PortFast

Configuring PortFast
Configuring
spanning-tree portfast (interface command)
or
spanning-tree portfast default (global command)
enables PortFast on all nontrunking ports

Verifying
show running-config interface fastethernet 1/1

IEEE Documents

IEEE 802.1D

- Media Access Control (MAC) bridges

IEEE 802.1Q

- Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks

IEEE 802.1w

- Rapid Reconfiguration (Supp. to 802.1D)

IEEE 802.1s

- Multiple Spanning Tree (Supp. to 802.1Q)

IEEE 802.1t

- Local and Metropolitan Area Network:

Common Specifications

Summary
Transparent bridges require no client configuration.
A bridge loop may occur when there are redundant paths
between switches.
A loop free network eliminates redundant paths between
switches.
The 802.1D protocol establishes a loop-free network.
The root bridge is a reference point for STP.
Each STP port will host a specific port role.
Enhancements now enable STP to converge more quickly
and run more efficiently.

Implementing Spanning Tree

Implementing RSTP

Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol

RSTP Port States

RSTP Port Roles

What Are Edge Ports?

Will never have a switch connected to it

Immediately transitions to forwarding
Functions similarly to PortFast
Configured by issuing the spanning-tree portfast command

RSTP Link Types

RSTP BPDU Flag Byte Use

RSTP Proposal and Agreement Process

Downstream RSTP Proposal and

Agreement
Root and switch A synchronize.
Ports on A come out of sync.
Proposal or agreement takes
place between A and B.

RSTP Topology Change Mechanism

PVRST Implementation Commands

Configuring
spanning-tree mode rapid-pvst

Verifying
show spanning-tree vlan 101

Debugging
debug spanning-tree

How to Implement Rapid PVRST

Verifying PVRST
Switch# show spanning-tree vlan 30
VLAN0030
Spanning tree enabled protocol rstp
Root ID Priority 24606
Address 00d0.047b.2800
This bridge is the root
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Bridge ID Priority 24606 (priority 24576 sys-id-ext
30)
Address 00d0.047b.2800
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Aging Time 300
Interface Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type
-------- ----- --- --- -------- ---Gi1/1
Desg FWD 4
128.1
P2p
Gi1/2
Desg FWD 4
128.2
P2p
Gi5/1
Desg FWD 4
128.257
P2p

Display spanning tree mode is set to PVRST.

Summary
RSTP provides faster convergence than 802.1D STP when topology changes
occur.
RSTP defines three port states: discarding, listening, and forwarding.
RSTP defines five port roles: root, designated, alternate, backup, and disabled.
Edge ports forward while topology changes occur.
RSTP makes use of two link typesP2P and shared.
802.1w uses the BPDU differently from 802.1D.
Convergence results from the proposal and agreement process conducted
switch by switch.
The RSTP topology change notification process differs from 802.1D.
Various commands are used to configure and verify PVRST.
PVRST enables RSTP while still maintaining PVST.

Implementing Spanning Tree

Implementing MSTP

Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol

Instance 1 maps to VLANs 1500

Instance 2 maps to VLANs 5011000

MST Regions

MST configuration on each switch:

Name
Revision number
VLAN association table

Extended System ID in Bridge ID Field

Interacting Between MST Regions

and 802.1D

Configuring MSTP
Switch(config)#spanning-tree mst configuration

Enters MST configuration submode

Switch(config-mst)#name name

Sets the MST region name

Switch(config-mst)#revision rev_num

Sets the MST configuration revision number

Switch(config-mst)#instance inst vlan range

Maps the VLANs to an MST instance

Switch(config-mst)#spanning-tree mst instance_number root
primary|secondary

Establishes primary and secondary roots for MST instance

Verifying MSTP

Switch#show spanning-tree mst configuration

Displays MSTP configuration information

Switch#show spanning-tree mst configuration
Name
[cisco]
Revision 1
Instance Vlans mapped
-------- --------------------------------------------------------------------0
11-4094
1
1-10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Verifying MSTP (Cont.)

Switch#show spanning-tree mst instance_number

Displays configuration information for a specific MSTP instance

Switch#show spanning-tree mst 1
###### MST01
vlans mapped: 1-10
Bridge
address 00d0.00b8.1400 priority
Root
this switch for MST01
Interface
---------------Fa4/4
Fa4/5
Fa4/48

Role
---Back
Desg
Boun

Sts
--BLK
FWD
FWD

Cost
--------1000
200000
200000

Prio.Nbr
-------240.196
128.197
128.240

32769 (32768 sysid 1)

Status
-------------------------------P2p
P2p
P2p Bound(STP)

Switch#clear spanning-tree detected-protocols [interface interface-id]

Forces renegotiation with neighboring switches during migration process

Summary
MSTP reduces the encumbrance of PVST by allowing a
single instance of spanning tree to run for multiple VLANs.
An MST region is a group of MSTP switches that appears as
a single virtual bridge to adjacent CST and MSTP regions.
Extended system ID ensures that VLAN ID or MSTP instance
can be carried in the Bridge ID field of a BPDU.
An MSTP region requires an IST and an arbitrary number of
MSTP instances as it connects to an 802.1Q network at the
MST region border.
MSTP is configured with a unique set of commands.
MSTP implementation requires configuration and verification
using specific configuration and show commands.

Implementing Spanning Tree

Configuring Link Aggregation with EtherChannel

EtherChannel
Logical aggregation of
similar links
Load balances
Viewed as one logical port
Redundancy

Dynamic Trunk Negotiation Protocols

PAgP
Cisco proprietary

LACP
IEEE 802.3ad standard

About EtherChannel Configuration

Commands
Configure PAgP
interface port-channel {channel-group-number}
channel-protocol pagp
channel-group 1 mode {mode}

Verify
show interfaces fastethernet 0/1 etherchannel
show etherchannel 1 port-channel
show etherchannel 1 summary

Configuring Layer 2 EtherChannel

Switch(config)#interface range interface slot/port - port

Specifies the interfaces to configure in the bundle

Switch(config-if-range)#channel-protocol {pagp | lacp}

Specifies the channel protocoleither PAgP or LACP

Switch(config-if-range)#channel-group number mode {active
| on | auto | desirable | passive}

Creates the port-channel interface and places the interfaces as

members

Configuring Layer 3 EtherChannel

Switch(config)#interface port-channel port-channel-number

Creates a port-channel interface

Switch(config-if)#no switchport
Switch(config-if)#ip address address mask

Specifies L3 and assigns an IP address and subnet mask to the

EtherChannel
Switch(config)#interface interface slot/port

Specifies an interface to configure

Switch(config-if)#no switchport
Switch(config-if)#channel-group number mode {auto |
desirable | on}

Configures the interface as L3 and specifies the port channel

and the PAgP mode

Verifying EtherChannel
Switch#show running-config interface port-channel num

Displays port-channel information

Switch#show running-config interface interface x/y

Displays interface information

Switch#show run interface port-channel 1
Building configuration...

Switch#show run interface gig 0/9

Building configuration...

Current configuration : 66 bytes

!
interface Port-channel1
switchport mode dynamic desirable
end

Current configuration : 127 bytes

!
interface GigabitEthernet 0/9
switchport mode dynamic desirable
channel-group 2 mode desirable
channel-protocol pagp
end

Verifying EtherChannel (Cont.)

Switch#show interfaces gigabitethernet 0/9 etherchannel
Port state
= Up Mstr In-Bndl
Channel group = 1
Mode = Desirable-Sl
Gcchange = 0
Port-channel = Po2
GC
= 0x00020001
Pseudo port-channel = Po1
Port index
= 0
Load = 0x00
Flags:

S
A
d
Timers: H
S

Device is sending Slow hello.

Device is in Auto mode.
PAgP is down.
Hello timer is running.
Switching timer is running.

C - Device is in Consistent state.

P - Device learns on physical port.
Q - Quit timer is running.
I - Interface timer is running.

Local information:
Port
Gi0/9

Flags State
SC
U6/S7

Timers
H

Hello
Partner PAgP
Interval Count
Priority
30s
1
128

Learning Group
Method Ifindex
Any
15

Partner's information:
Port
Gi0/9

Partner
Name
DSW122

Partner
Device ID
0005.313e.4780

Partner
Port
Gi0/9

Age of the port in the current state: 00d:20h:00m:49s

Partner Group
Age Flags
Cap.
18s SC
20001

Guidelines for Configuring EtherChannel

Guidelines for Configuring EtherChannel

(Cont.)

EtherChannel Guidelines
Switch#show run
interface FastEthernet0/9
description DSW121 0/9-10 - DSW122 0/9-10
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,21-28
switchport mode trunk
switchport nonegotiate
duplex full
speed 100
channel-group 2 mode desirable
!
interface FastEthernet0/10
description DSW121 0/9-10 - DSW122 0/9-10
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,21-28
switchport mode trunk
switchport nonegotiate
duplex full
speed 100
channel-group 2 mode desirable

EtherChannel Load Balancing

Switch(config)# port-channel load-balance src-mac

Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing

Switch(config)#port-channel load-balance type

Configures EtherChannel load balancing

Switch#show etherchannel load-balance

Source XOR Destination IP address

Summary
EtherChannel increases bandwidth and provides redundancy
by aggregating individual links between switches.
EtherChannel can be dynamically configured between
switches using either PAgP or LACP.
Etherchannel is configured and verified using a variety of
show commands.
Best practices should be followed for EtherChannel
configuration.
EtherChannel load balances traffic over all the links in the
bundle.

Module Summary
STP protects the network from Layer 2 frames that might
loop.
Through the use of specific port states, port roles, and link
types, RSTP quickly adapts to network topology transitions.
MSTP reduces the burden of excessive STP traffic and
CPU processing.
EtherChannel adds redundancy and creates high-bandwidth
connections between switches.