NETGEAR 700 Series Managed Switch for Software v2.1 - Manual (Page 83)

700 Series Managed Switch User’s Guide for Software v2.1
Web-Based Management Interface 5-33
SM-10004-02
Advanced> Spanning Tree
This switch is compliant with IEEE802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). STP ensures that only
one path at a time is active between any two network nodes. There maybe more than one physical
path between any two nodes, forming a loop, either created for redundancy or by accident. STP
ensures only one physical path is active and the others are blocked. If a loop is created for
redundancy, STP will monitor the two paths and activate the stand-by path if the primary path
fails. If a loop was created inadvertently, STP will disable one of the two paths. A loop in a
network can disable your network by causing a “Broadcast storm”, the result of a broadcast
message traveling through the loop again and again.
There are two sub-page of Spanning Tree configuration:
• Bridge Settings
• Port Settings
Advanced> Spanning Tree >Bridge Settings
Figure 5-34: Spanning Tree: Bridge Settings
When Spanning tree is used in conjunction with a set of aggregated ports, also known as a port
trunking, Spanning Tree will treat the trunk as a single virtual port.
Spanning Tree can be enabled or disabled in this screen.
Enable: There are four other tunable parameters to be addressed when enabled.