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16
C
HAPTER
1: S
WITCH
F
EATURES
O
VERVIEW
Spanning Tree
Protocol and Rapid
Spanning Tree
Protocol
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) and Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP)
are bridge-based systems that makes your network more resilient to
link failure and also provides protection from network loops — one of
the major causes of broadcast storms.
STP allows you to implement alternative paths for network traffic in the
event of path failure and uses a loop-detection process to:
■
Discover the efficiency of each path.
■
Enable the most efficient path.
■
Disable the less efficient paths.
■
Enable one of the less efficient paths if the most efficient path fails.
RSTP is an enhanced version of the STP feature and is enabled by default.
RSTP can restore a network connection quicker than the STP feature.
STP conforms to the IEEE 802.1D-1998 standard, and RSTP conforms to
the IEEE 802.1w standard.
For more information about STP and RSTP, see
Chapter 4
“Using
Resilience Features”
.
Switch Database
The Switch Database is an integral part of the Switch and is used by the
Switch to determine if a packet should be forwarded, and which port
should transmit the packet if it is to be forwarded.
For more information about the Switch Database, see
Chapter 5
“Using
the Switch Database”
.
Traffic Prioritization
Traffic prioritization allows your network traffic to be prioritized to ensure
that high priority data, such as time-sensitive and system-critical data is
transferred smoothly and with minimal delay over a network.
Traffic prioritization ensures that high priority data is forwarded through
the Switch without being delayed by lower priority data. Traffic
prioritization uses the two traffic queues that are present in the hardware
of the Switch to ensure that high priority traffic is forwarded on a
different queue from lower priority traffic. High priority traffic is given
preference over low priority traffic to ensure that the most critical traffic
gets the highest level of service.