Introduction
Spanning Tree is a protocol used in computer networking to prevent loops from forming in a redundant network topology. A loop is created when there are multiple paths between two devices in a network, and data packets are sent back and forth between them indefinitely. This can lead to congestion and network downtime. The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is designed to prevent such loops by creating a logical tree-like structure within the network. This logical structure is created by disabling some of the links in the network, so that there is only one active path between any two devices. STP achieves this by electing a root bridge for the network, which serves as the central point of the logical tree. The root bridge is determined based on the bridge priority value and MAC address. All other switches in the network then calculate the shortest path to the root bridge and disable any redundant links. If a link between two switches fails, STP will automatically enable another link to maintain the logical tree structure. This ensures that data can still be transmitted between all devices in the network, even if some links are down. The Protocol has evolved over time and has several variants, such as Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP), Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP), and Per-VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST). These variants provide additional features and improvements to the basic STP protocol.
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