New Training: Understand and Configure Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)

In this 10-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Knox Hutchinson explores Spanning Tree Protocol and how it can be deployed on Junos devices. Watch this new training.

Learn with one of these courses:

• Enterprise Routing and Switching Specialist

• Service Provider Routing and Switching Specialist

This training includes:

• 10 videos

• 1.2 hours of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Everyone Hates Spanning Tree Protocol

• STP Foundations

• STP Key Terms

• How Spanning Tree Builds the Tree

• RSTP Port States and Roles

• VSTP Deployment

• MSTP

• Deploy Junos VSTP and Cisco PVST+

• Protecting STP

• Summarizing STP

What is Spanning Tree Protocol?

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a network protocol for ethernet networks that creates a loop-free logical topology. The foundational feature of STP is preventing bridge loops and the broadcast radiation that tends to cause. Additionally, STP network designs tend to be more resilient, leveraging backup links to provide fault tolerance if an active link fails.

The basic design of a spanning tree includes connecting nodes with a series of layer-2 bridges, disabling any links that are not part of the spanning tree.This leaves a single active path between any two network nodes.

The concept of STP was adopted by numerous vendors before the IEEE published a set of standards, leading to numerous compatibility issues. Cisco equipment dominated the market, but most non-Cisco tech had limited compatibility. Juniper Networks, however, developed a VLAN Spanning Tree Protocol (VSTP) to work with Cisco switches, allowing both to be included in a single large area network.