Total STP training course description

The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) dates from 1985. This course explores in depth how the protocol works and the implications this has on network performance. We also study STP variants including 802.1w (RSTP) and 802.1s (MSTP).

What will you learn

• Explain how STP works.
• Explain how RSTP works.
• Explain how MSTP works.
• Troubleshoot STP and variants.

Total STP training course details

Total STP training course contents

• STP

What is 802.1D, what is STP, resilience, broadcast storms, forwarding and blocking, single path.
Hands on Impact of broadcast storms, enabling disabling STP.

• Operation

STP frames, BPDUs, root bridge election, blocked ports, root ports, designated ports. STP path costs.
Hands on Analysing STP, troubleshooting implications.

• Topology changes

Hello timer, Forward delay timer, max age timer, Topology Change Notification (TCN) BPDU.
Hands on STP convergence.

• STP enhancements and tuning

Bridge ID, Bridge priority, port priority, 30 second delay, Edge ports, PortFast, root guard, loop guard, BPDU guard.
Hands on Root bridge positioning, improving STP convergence.

• RSTP

802.1w, Improvements, convergence times. RSTP bridge port roles, RSTP switch port states. Edge ports, link ports.
Hands on RSTP configuration and convergence.

• VLANs and STP

Access/untagged ports, trunk/tagged ports, PVST, PVST+, RPVST, MISTP, MSTP and 802.1s. MSTP BPDUs. Instances, Load balancing, impact on CPU.
Hands on MSTP load balancing.

• Interoperability

Regions, Virtual bridges, domains.
Hands on STP, RSTP and MSTP interoperation.

Learning path

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