Hello all!
After the previous post about the Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol, let us now turn our attention to another concept in the same protocol cluster. Therefore, today we are going to discuss the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol or RSTP.
Our esteemed users were kind enough to run quite several searches on the Community search bar with or related to 'RSTP', so it was but logical to write a standalone blog post about this awesome R&S protocol. Let's discover more about RSTP in the following paragraphs!
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Generally, redundant links are used on an Ethernet switching network to provide link backup and enhance network reliability. The use of redundant links, however, may produce loops, causing broadcast storms and making the MAC address table unstable. As a result, network communication may encounter quality deterioration or even be interrupted. STP solves this problem.
Devices running STP exchange STP bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) to discover loops on the network and block some ports. This ensures a loop-free tree network and that the packet processing capabilities of switches is not impacted.
CONTEXT OF RSTP
The STP network convergence speed is slow, so IEEE introduced RSTP (802.1w) in 2001 to improve the network convergence speed of STP.
FUNCTIONS OF RSTP
After a rapid spanning tree protocol is configured on an Ethernet switching network, the protocol calculates the network topology to implement the following functions:
loop prevention: rapid the spanning tree protocol blocks redundant links to prevent potential loops on the network;
link redundancy: if an active link fails and a redundant link exists, the rapid spanning tree protocol activates the redundant link to ensure network connectivity.
APPLICATION SCENARIOS FOR RSTP
Loops often occur on a complex network, because multiple physical links are often deployed between two devices to implement link redundancy. Loops may cause broadcast storms and damage MAC address entries on network devices.
RSTP is thus deployed on the devices. The devices exchange information to discover the loops on the network and block a port to trim the ring topology into a loop-free tree topology. The tree topology prevents infinite looping of packets on the network and ensures packet processing capabilities of the devices.
MAINTAINING RSTP
Maintenance for RSTP involves the reset of RSTP statistics. This includes 2 main parts:
clearing the RSTP statistics - run the reset commands to reset the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) statistics to 0;
monitoring the statistics on the RSTP topology changes - the statistics about Rapud Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) topology changes can be viewed - if the statistics increase, network flapping occurs.
THE BOTTOM LINE
RSTP is without a doubt a crucial aspect within routing and switching, as it always comes in handy whenever it is 'called upon' to be deployed. More information on RSTP can be found by accessing this following link.
Stay tuned to our daily blog digest by subscribing to the Community blog and don't forget - we're here to help you solve any RSTP-related issue: https://forum.huawei.com/enterprise/en/Switch/forum/861.
