Asante Technologies 8000 - Manual (Page 91)

Page 4-1
4
Advanced Management
This chapter describes advanced topics for management of the IntraCore
8000:
G Spanning Tree Protocol
G SNMP and RMON Management
G Security Management
G VLAN Management
G Multicast Management
Spanning Tree Protocol
The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a part of the IEEE 802.1D standard that
provides for redundancy in a bridged LAN by allowing multiple links
between points in the LAN.
Without the use of STP, multiple links in a bridged network will result in
bridging loops, which allow excess broadcast traffic that can bring down an
entire network.
Overview
The Spanning Tree Protocol reduces a network with multiple, redundant
connections to one in which all points are connected (the protocol spans the
network), but in which there is only one path between any two points (the
paths are branched, as in a tree).
For example, in a large network with multiple paths, the same message will
be broadcast over the network through multiple paths, resulting in a great
amount of extra network traffic, and possibly, network downtime. This
“closed path” or “bridged loop” among the networks can also start an
unending packet-passing process.
I Important: To explain STP more effectively, the IntraC-
ore 8000 is described as a bridge for this section of the
manual.