S
PANNING
T
REE
P
ROTOCOL
C
ONFIGURATION
2-33
Spanning Tree Protocol Configuration
The Spanning Tree Algorithm can be used to detect and disable network
loops, and to provide backup links between switches, bridges or routers.
This allows the switch to interact with other bridging devices (that is, an
STA-compliant switch, bridge or router) in your network to ensure that
only one route exists between any two stations on the network, and
provide backup links which automatically take over when a primary link
goes down.
Managing Global Settings
Global settings apply to the entire switch.
Command Attributes
The following global attributes are fixed and cannot be changed:
• Bridge ID – The priority and MAC address of this device.
• Designated Root – The priority and MAC address of the device in
the Spanning Tree that this switch has accepted as the root device.
• Root Port – The number of the port on this switch that is closest to
the root. This switch communicates with the root device through this
port. If there is no root port, then this switch has been accepted as the
root device of the Spanning Tree network.
• Root Path Cost – The path cost from the root port on this switch to
the root device.
• Configuration Changes – The number of times the Spanning Tree
has been reconfigured.
• Last Topology Change – The time since the Spanning Tree was last
reconfigured.