Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)

Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) is a network protocol for distributing network traffic. This protocol works by splitting network topology into regions, each of which is composed of VLANs. Each region is separate and has a different instance topology. Each region is connected to other regions by a common internal spanning tree. The CIST and STA operate on these regions.

The STP process places selected bridge interfaces in a forwarding state, while all other interfaces are in a blocked state. When a network device receives a BPDU, it calculates the shortest path to the root switch. The BPDUs also contain a bridge ID that is unique to the root device.

Configuration

MSTP is a spanning tree protocol that enables the Industrial Ethernet Switch to map VLANs between two network devices. Its properties page allows you to map VLANs individually or as a range, and define the specifications for each MSTP instance. The configuration process can be complicated, but it is fairly simple once you know how to do it.

To configure MSTP, you need to know that your network has three switches. Each switch is connected to the other two via a link. The speed of this link is 100 Mb/s. This means that the default path cost of each port is 200000. Using this setting, you will be able to specify which ports are available for each switch.

Functions

MSTP is a type of networking protocol used to distribute network traffic across multiple ports. MSTP enables network operators to allocate resources efficiently by dividing the network into regions, each of which consists of multiple spanning trees, or MSTIs. Each region may have multiple instances, and a single instance may be mapped to several VLANs. MSTIs allow traffic to be distributed among these trees, which can reduce the overall communication cost. The MSTP protocol also allows for traffic to be balanced across different MSTIs.

MSTP can also reduce the number of STP instances. This feature helps in improving Industrial Network Switch capacity by minimizing the number of STP instances on the network. The benefits of MSTP are clear: it helps in preventing loops and offers multiple redundant paths to forward data. It is compatible with RSTP and STP, and it supports multiple VLANs.

Principles

MSTP is a topology-based routing protocol for networks that uses multiple VLANs. It eliminates data loops and maps all VLANs to logical topologies. However, it suffers from a number of flaws. These include convergence problems, counting to infinity, and old information circulating in the network. These problems are worse in large topologies, where there are multiple switches.

MSTP is incompatible with certain LAN technologies. This is because it cannot protect against the temporary loops that are created by bridges and devices. It can, however, work with RSTP bridges because its BPDU can be interpreted as an RSTP BPDU