How does STP work??

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

?First, STP selects a root bridge, or master bridge, which will provide the basis for all subsequent path calculations. The term root bridge makes sense when you consider the protocol's method, "spanning tree." Only one root bridge exists on a network, and from it a series of logical branches, or data paths, emanate. STP selects the root bridge based on its BID (Bridge ID), which is a combination of a 2-byte priority field and the bridge's MAC address. To begin with, all bridges on the network share the same priority number, and so the bridge with the lowest MAC address becomes the root bridge. Next, on every other bridge on the network, STP examines the possible paths between that bridge and the root bridge. Then it chooses the shortest of these paths-that is, the path that will carry data to its target fastest. Furthermore, STP stipulates that on any bridge, only one root port, which is the bridge's port that is closest to the root bridge, can forward frames toward the root bridge. Finally, STP disables links that are not part of the shortest path. To do so, it enables only the lowest-cost port on a segment (link between two bridges), called the designated port, to transmit network traffic.