From the course: Deploying Layer 2 Switching for Cisco Networks by Pearson

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Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)

Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) - Cisco Tutorial

From the course: Deploying Layer 2 Switching for Cisco Networks by Pearson

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Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)

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So, in this lesson, I'm going to talk about the multiple spanning tree protocol known as MST. I'm going to explain why MST is needed, and I'm going to explain how it operates and configured. So, with PVST, PVST+, and Rapid Spanning Tree, there's going to be a spanning tree topology that exists for every VLAN, and allows for traffic engineering at layer 2. Maintaining a spanning tree state for all VLANs can become a burden to the switch's processors. With the additional removal of a link or flap, the spanning tree calculation has to be made for every VLAN. And in topologies with a small number of VLANs, this doesn't have any impact on the switch, but in topologies where you might have thousands of VLANs, this can burden a switch's processors. Now, multiple spanning tree protocol solves this issue of scale while allowing multiple different layer two topologies to exist for traffic engineering. MST is based on rapid spanning tree, but it allows for VLANs to be grouped to an MST instance…

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