STP (Spanning Tree Protocol)

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It prevents a network from frame looping by putting some interfaces in forwarding state & some interfaces in blocking state.

Whenever two or more switches are connected with each other for redundancy purpose loop can occur. STP Protocol is used to prevent the loop. STP is layer 2 Protocol & by default it is enabled on switches.

STP Loop Problem

• STP – IEEE 802.1D (Open Standard).
• RSTP – 802.1W (IEEE)
• MST – IEEE 802.1S (Multiple Spanning Tree)
• PVST – Cisco Proprietary (Per Vlan Spanning Tree)
• PVST+ - Cisco Proprietary
• RPVST – Cisco Proprietary

CST (Common Spanning Tree)- All Vlan will participate in the single instance number.

IST (Inter Spanning Tree)- For different-different Vlans different-different instances number.

If we don’t use STP, these problems will occur on the network

(i) Broadcast Storms

(ii) High Processor Utilization

(iii) Mac Table instability

(iv) Multiple Frame Transmission

STP Tasks

1. Elect Root Bridge

2. Elect Designated Port

3. Elect Root Port

Root Bridge- A switch which has best bridge ID (Lower Best).

Bridge ID is a combination of Switch priority and its MAC addresses. It is 8 bytes ID. It contains 2 bytes priority Plus 6 bytes MAC.

Root Bridge

Switches by default Priority is 32768.

We can change the priority between 0 to 65535

MAC- Each Switch has a supervisor engine. Supervisor engine has a MAC pool, the pool contain 1024 MAC addresses. When a switch wants to create Bridge ID, it borrows MAC from MAC Pool.

Designated Port- They are those ports which advertise lowest cost BPDUs. DP sends BPDUs towards the Non Root Bridge.

Root Port- A port which receives lowest cost BPDUs. Shortest path to Root Bridge.

Cost- An integer value. It is used for DP & RP election.

Ethernet Standard	Cost
10 Mbps	100
100Mbps	19
1Gbps	4
10 Gbps	2

BPDU (Bridge Protocol Data Unit)

Switches sends hello to each other. This hello is called hello BPDU. (in every 2 sec)

Types of BPDU

1. Configuration BPDU (Root to Nonroot)

2. TCN BPDU (Topology Change Notification) – Nonroot to Root

Configuration BPDU Contents

1. Protocol ID   (always 0)

2. Version        (always 0)

3. Message Type

4. Flag

5. Root Bridge ID

6. Root Cost

7. Sender Bridge ID

8. Sender Port Priority

9. Max-Age

10. Message Age

11. Hello

12. Forward delay

TCN Contents

1. Protocol ID
2. Version
3. Message Type

Root bridge, after every 2 sec sends configuration BPDU.

The root bridge always sends 0 cost BPDUs.

Requirements for Root Bridge

1. Lower Bridge Priority,
2. Lower Mac Address.

(Note: Rood Bridge Always Generates 0 Cost BPDU.)

Requirements for DP and RP

1. Lower Bridge ID (Only for DP, Between Root & Non Root)
2. Lower Cost                                 |      For DP &   RP       
3. Lower Sender Bridge ID             |    B/W Root – Non Root         
4. Lower Sender Port Priority         |      Non Root – Non Root
5. Lower Sender Port ID

(Note: All Ports of Root Bridge are DP.

               Every non root bridge must have at least one root port.)

Root Bridge Election

When we start the switches then each switch consider itself as a root, and sends BPDU to its all ports.

When a switch receives a superior BPDU then it accepts the neighbor switch as a root, which is sending superior BPDU.

(Note: Superior means lower priority.)

DP, RP & Blocking port selection method

1. Lower cost to Root Bridge
2. Lower Sender Bridge ID
3. Lower Port ID (Port Priority 128 + Port number)

STP Port States

1. Disable – It means port is administratively shut down.
2. Blocking – It means neither a port is sending data nor receiving data, but still it is receiving BPDU.
3. Listening – It means a port is Preparing for forwarding state without learning MAC.
4. Learning – It means a port is preparing for forwarding state with learning MAC.
5. Forwarding – It means a port is sending or receiving Data along with BPDU.

STP Timers

1. Hello – 2 sec
2. Max Age – 20 sec
3. Forward Delay 15 sec
4. Listening 15 sec
5. Learning 15 sec

Hello – It is used to send Hello BPDU. Default time 2 sec

Max Age – This time is used to store the best BPDU when a root port goes down.

Forward Delay – It is that time which is spent by a port in listening state and learning state. (Conversion time till forwarding state.)

STP Convergence Time is 52 Sec

1. Max age – 20 sec
2. Listening – 15 sec
3. Learning – 15 sec
4. BPDU      - 2 Sec
5. Total - 52 Sec

PVST Convergence Time is 32 Sec

(Note: Cisco switches by default uses PVST (Per VLAN Spanning Tree). It doesn’t use max age

Listening – 15 sec

Learning – 15 sec

BPDU -        2 sec

Total – 32 Sec

Max-age always related to superior BPDU.

Types of Topology Changes

1. Direct Topology Change – When a root port of a non-root bridge goes down then it will be direct topology change for this non-root bridge.

2. In-direct Topology Change – When a indirect link goes down that will called as in-direct link failure.

3. In-sufficient Topology change – When a access port goes up or down then switch sends TCN BPDUs. These changes are called in-sufficient topology change.

Convergence mechanism

1. Port Fast – A feature, that puts a port directly in forwarding state when it becomes physically active.

(Note: Two types of Port fast

(i)Globally

(ii)Interface

Always applied on access port.)

2. Uplink Fast – A feature it enable non root switches to put their alternate port (Blocking port) directly in forwarding state, when their root port goes down. (In case of Direct Link Failure, it will work)

1. It sends multicast updates 0100-0CCd-CDCD
2. It sends 150 packet per/sec
3. Priority will change 32768 – 49152
4. 3000 cost will add per link cost.

(Note: If you will change the priority then uplink fast will not work.

With using uplink fast load balancing will not possible.)

3. Backbone Fast – A feature which prevents your network from inferior BPDU. (We use this for in case of indirect link failure).

When a indirect link failure occurs in a topology then switch will receive inferior BPDUs. Due to max-age timer of superior BPDU Switch will not take any action on inferior BPDUs until and unless its max-age timer expire. To reduce this timer we enable back bone fast on all switches in the network.

(Note: Backbone fast will remove max age time. Now total convergence time will 32 sec.

Using backbone fast we save 20 sec (Max-Age).)

4. Inferior BPDU – When a Switch announces itself as a root in the presence of root, these BPDUs are called inferior BPDU. When we enable back bone fast and a switch root port goes down now this switch will not send inferior BPDUs. It will send RLQ – (Root Link Query) to neighbor Switch.

Sw1#sh cdp neighbor

Sw4 – 21/22

Sw3 – 19/20

Sw2 – 23/24

Sw1#sh spanning-tree

0012.7ffc.cw80

Sw2#sh spanning-tree

0012.4383. E200

Sw3#sh spanning-tree

0017.9581.3a00

Sw4#sh spanning tree

0012.0106.6f00

Sw1#sh spanning-tree

19/20 - DP, 21 – Root, 22/23/24 Alt Blk

Sw2#sh spanning-tree

19 – Root, 20 – Alt Blk, 21/22/23/24 – DP

Sw3#sh spanning-tree

19/20/21/22/24 – Blk, 23 – RP

Sw4#sh spanning-tree

All port DP

Now here we can see Sw4 is the root bridge. Now we are going to make sw1 as a root bridge.

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 priority ?

0 to 61440

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 priority 0

We can use the value multiply of 4096

Sw1#sh spanning-tree

Now if we want to make sw1 as Root Bridge for all the vlans

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 – 4094 priority 0

Now switch 1 is the root bridge for all the vlans.

To remove

Sw1 (config) #no spanning-tree vlan 1 – 4094 priority 0

If we want to see particular vlan 1 information

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 2

Now here if we want to load balancing of root bridges

Now if we have sw1 and sw2 is a good configuration switches.

I want to make sw1 work as a root bridge 1 for vlan 1 to 5.

And Sw2 work as root-bridge 2 for vlan 6 to 10

If incase sw1 goes down then sw2 will become root-bridge for all the switches.

If sw2 goes down then sw1 become root-bridge.

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 -5 root primary

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 6 -10 root secondary

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 -5 root secondary

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 6 -10 root primary

Sw2#sh spanning-tree vlan 6

When we add primary keyword, then switch will decrease the priority from 32768 to 24576

Sw2#sh spanning-tree vlan 6

When we add secondary keyword, then it will make its own priority 28672 automatically

Sw2#spanning-tree vlan 1

Now if Sw1 is down, then Sw2 would become root bridge for all (1 to 10) vlans.

If Sw2 goes down then Sw1 will become root-bridge for (1 to 10) Vlans

Now if incase Sw3 will make its own priority 0 then, it would become the root bridge for all the vlans. Primary or Secondary keywords would not work.

Now here for the safe side, we can set the priority 0 for vlan 1 to 5 and for 6 to 10 we will set the priority 4096 on Sw1

On Sw2 we will set the priority for 1 to 5 vlans 4096, and for 6 to 10 we will set 0.

Now first we remove the previous commands. When we remove primary and secondary command, Sw4 will become the root bridge.

Sw4#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 – 5 priority 0

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 6 – 10 priority 4096

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 – 5 priority 4096

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 6 – 10 priority 0

Suppose here if we want to make int 22 as root port.

For that either we can increase the int 21s cost or we can decrease the cost of int 22.

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/21

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree vlan 1 cost 20

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Root port is 22.

By default 100 MB links priority is 19, we increased the cost of 21s link.

Again here we will make it default

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/21       

Sw1 (config-if) #no spanning-tree vlan 1 cost 20

We can change the port priority also

Sw4 (config) #int fa0/22

Sw4 (config-if) #spanning-tree vlan 1 port priority ?

Sw4 (config-if) #spanning-tree vlan 1 port priority 112

Sw1#debug spanning-tree events

When an access port goes up it takes 32 sec to start forwarding data, to stop this delay we can use Port Fast.

We can enable this command globally or on a particular interface also

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/12

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree portfast

We can use range also

Sw1 (config) #int range fa0/1 – 18

Sw1 (config-if-range) #spanning-tree portfast

Globally

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree portfast default

Now here we will enable UplinkFast. It’s a globally enabled command.

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree UplinkFast

BackboneFast

Sw2#debug spanning-tree events

Sw3 (config) #int fa0/19

Sw3 (config-if) #shut

Now we can see on Sw2 after 20 sec wait & then listening and learning state.

Sw3 (config) #int fa0/19

Sw3 (config-if) #no shut

Sw3 (config) #spanning-tree backbonefast

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree backbonefast

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree backbonefast

Sw3 (config) #int fa0/19

Sw3 (config-if) #shut

Sw3 (config-if) #no shut

Now again we can see all the events on sw2 switch

To change the Hello Timer

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 hello-time ?

Between 1 to 10

To change forward Timer

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 forward-time ?

Between 4 to 30 (int STP per vlan)

To change Max-age Timer

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 max-age ?

Between 6 to 40

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

To Stop Spanning –tree protocol

Sw1 (config) no spanning-tree vlan 1

How to check the Root bridges through command line

Sw1#sh spanning-tree

Sw1#sh cdp neighbor

Sw2#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Sw2#sh spanning-tree root

Now here we will make Switch 1 as a root bridge.

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 root priority?

If we provide 1 here then we will see some warning.

Bridge priority must be in increments of 4096.

Now we check the by default priority

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Sw2#sh spanning-tree int fa0/24 detail

Here we will see Path cost 0

Sw2#sh spanning-tree int fa0/19 detail

Path cost 19

128.19

128 is priority & 19 is port cost

Sw2#sh spanning-tree int fa0/19 detail

For Vlan 1 it is designated forwarding.

Sw3#sh spanning-tree int fa0/19 detail

Now here we want, if the primary root will down then secondary root will comes up.

On Switch 2

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 root secondary

Sw2#sh run |be spann

Now here if we connect one more link on 23 port, then by default 23 would be the root port but if we decrease the priority of 24 then it would become root port.

Sw2 (config) #int fa0/24

Sw2 (config-if) #spanning-tree vlan 1 cost 140

Sw2#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Sw2#sh spanning-tree int fa0/23 detail

Now we will change the port priority

SW1 (config) # int f0/24

Sw1 (config-if) # spanning-tree vlan 1 port priority 120

We will get some warning message here

Port Priority in increments of 16 is required

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree vlan 1 port priority 112

Sw2#sh spanning-tree int fa0/23 detail

Sw2#sh spanning-tree int fa0/24 detail

Here we can see port id is 112.

To create a root port Manually

Manually change the cost.

Switch (config) #int fa0/22

Switch (config-if) #spanning-tree cost 10

Switch#sh spanning-tree

We can see 22 is now root port. Because previously its cost was 19, when we decrease the cost then it would become root port.

Another criteria is Port Priority

We will change the sender’s port priority

Switch1 (config) #int fa0/22

Switch1 (config-if) #spanning tree port priority 16

Switch4 #sh spanning-tree

Here we can see 22 is root port

To remove above command

Switch1 (config-if) #no spanning tree port priority 16

To change the Hello Timer

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 hello time?

We can select from 1 to 10 sec

To change Max-age

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 max-age?

We can select here between 6 to 40 sec

To change the forward delay timer

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 forward-time?

Between 4 to 30 sec

By default cisco switches runs PVST. Per Vlan Spanning Tree Protocol

Switch#sh vlan brief

By default we can see only one Vlan. This is Vlan 1

Switch#sh spanning tree

One vlan, one instance

Single instance for single Vlan

Switch (config) #vlan 1 – 10

Switch #sh spanning-tree

We can see here now 10 vlan instances

Switch#debug spanning-tree events

If we are using STP & connection is lost then we will get the connection after 52 sec. If we use PVST then we will get the connection after 32 sec.

Switch4 (config) #int fa0/21

Switch4 (config-if) #shut down

Switch4#debug spanning-tree events

We can see here the listening and learning time

Switch4 (config) #int fa0/21

Switch4 (config-if) #no shut down

Now we will implement uplink fast

SW4 #sh spanning-tree

Before enabling the uplink fast , Priority is 32768

Sw4 (config) #spanning-tree UplinkFast max-update-rate?

0 to 32000

By default are 150 packets per sec.

We can increase it also.

Command for enabling uplink fast is

Sw4 (config) #spanning-tree UplinkFast

Sw4#sh spanning-tree

After enabling the uplink fast we can see here the priority will change.

Previously it was 32768, now it is 49152

And 3000 will added on each links cost.

Uplink Fast is applied for all the Vlans.

Uplink Fast is a feature which enables non root switch to put there alternate port directly in forwarding state when there root port goes down.

Before enabling Uplink fast we were getting delay of 32 sec.

If uplink fast is working then port will up instantly.

Backbone Fast

Switch (config) #spanning-tree BackboneFast

Switch#sh spanning-tree BackboneFast

BackboneFast is enabled

Port Fast

Switch# int fa0/ 22

Switch (config-if) #shut

Switch (config-if) # no shut

Switch (config-if) #do sh spanning-tree

Here we will see first listening and then learning state

15 sec for listening and 15 sec for learning then it will come in forwarding state. On access port there is no need to listening and learning. We can enable portfast globally or locally.

Switch# int fa0/ 1

Switch (config-if) #spanning-tree portfast

Switch (config-if) #do sh spanning-tree

Switch (config-if) #shutdown

Switch (config-if) #no shut

Switch (config-if) #do sh spanning-tree

Now here we will see port is direct in forwarding state, no listening no learning.

Port fast is applied on Access port.

Uplink fast is applied on Non root switches.

Backbone fast is applied on all the switches.

If we will change the default priority then uplink fast will not work.

Switch (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1-4096 priority 0

R1 (config) #int fa0/0

R1 (config-if) #no shut

Sw1#sh int trunk

Sw2#sh cdp neighbor

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #shut

Sw1 (config-if) #no shut

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree portfast default

Globally enabled

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #shut

Sw1 (config-if) #no shut

Sw1#sh spanning-tree vlan 1

If we use inter vlan routing then we will enable portfast on trunk link

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree portfast trunk

To enable BPDU Guard

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree portfast BPDU guard

If we want to enable BPDU Guard per interface

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree BPDU enable

Sw1#sh spanning-tree summary

R1 (config) #bridge 1 protocol IEEE

R1 (config) #int fa0/0

R1 (config-if) #bridge-group 1

Sw1#sh int status

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #shut

Sw1 (config-if) #no shut

Error disables recovery for BPDU Guard

Sw1 (config) #errdisable recovery cause bpduguard

Sw1 (config) #errdisable recovery interval?

R1  (config) #int fa0/0

R1 (config-if) #no bridge-group 1

R1 (config-if) #no bridge 1 protocol IEEE

Sw1#sh int status

Sw1 (config) #no spanning-tree portfast bpdu guard default

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree BPDU guard disable

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree portfast default

Sw1#sh spanning-tree int fa0/1 portfast

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree portfast BPDU filter default

To run on interfaces

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/1

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree BPDU filter enable

Sw1#sh spanning-tree summary

Sw1#sh spanning-tree int fa0/1 detail

R1 (config) #bridge 1 protocol IEEE

R1 (config) #int fa0/0

R1 (config-if) #bridge-group 1

Sw1#sh int status

Sw1#sh spanning-tree int fa0/1 detail

Sw1 (config) #int fa0/0

Sw1 (config-if) #spanning-tree bpdu filter enable

Sw1 (config-if) #shut

Sw1 (config-if) #no shut

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree uplinkfast

This command will use Globally

Sw1 (config) #spanning-tree backbone fast

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree backbone fast

Sw3 (config) #spanning-tree backbone fast

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 max-age ?

Sw2 (config) #spanning-tree vlan 1 forward time

STP Show Commands

Switch#sh spanning-tree

Switch#show spanning-tree blockedports

Switch#show spanning-tree inconsistentports

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