Multiple spanning tree protocol

MSTP extends STP and RSTP functionality by mapping multiple independent spanning-tree instances
onto one physical topology. Each spanning-tree instance (STI) includes one or more VLANs. Each
multiple spanning tree instance (MSTI) creates a separate topology tree and you can administratively
map it to one or more VLANs. Allowing users to administratively map VLANs to MSTIs facilitates better
load sharing across redundant links within a Layer 2 switching environment.

Unlike in STP and RSTP configurations, a port can belong to multiple VLANs and be dynamically blocked
in one spanning-tree instance but forwarding in another. This behavior significantly improves network
resource utilization by load-balancing across the network and maintaining switch CPU loads at moderate
levels. MSTP also leverages the fast re-convergence time of RSTP when a network, switch, or port failure
occurs within a spanning-tree instance.

MSTP was originally defined in the IEEE 802.1s draft and later incorporated into the IEEE 802.1Q-2003
specification.

MST Region

MSTP allows switches to be logically grouped into manageable clusters, known as multiple spanning tree
(MST) regions. An MST region is a group of switches that share the same region name, revision level, and
VLAN-to-instance mapping parameters. Each MST region supports up to 64 MSTIs. MSTP greatly reduces
the number of bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) on a LAN by including the spanning tree information
for all MSTIs in a single BPDU.

MSTP encodes region information after the standard RSTP BPDU along with individual MSTI messages.
The MSTI configuration messages convey spanning tree information for each instance. MSTP elects a
regional root bridge for each MSTI. The regional root bridge is elected based on the configured bridge
priority and calculates the spanning tree within its designated instance.

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How does MSTP uses instances?

Check images on ppt

MSTP Maps Multiple VLANs

MSTP is an extension of RSTP that maps multiple independent spanning-tree instances onto one physical
topology. Each spanning-tree instance (STI) includes one or more VLANs. Unlike in STP and RSTP
configurations, a port might belong to multiple VLANs and be dynamically blocked in one spanning-tree
instance, but forwarding in another. This behavior significantly improves network resource utilization by
load-balancing across the network and maintaining switch CPU loads at moderate levels. MSTP also
leverages the fast reconvergence time of RSTP when a network, switch, or port failure occurs within a
spanning-tree instance.

CST

MSTP creates a common and internal spanning tree (CIST) to interconnect and manage all MSTP regions
and even individual devices that run RSTP or STP, which are recognized as distinct spanning-tree regions
by MSTP. The CIST views each MSTP region as a virtual bridge, regardless of the actual number of
devices participating in the MSTP region and enables multiple spanning-tree instances (MSTIs) to link to
other regions. The CIST is a single topology that connects all switches (STP, RSTP, and MSTP devices)
through an active topology, ensuring connectivity between LANs and devices within a bridged network.
This functionality provided by MSTP enables you to better utilize network resources while remaining
backward-compatible with older network devices.

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The common spanning tree (CST), which interconnects all MST regions as well as STP devices not bound
to a particular region, facilitates end-to-end paths within an MSTP environment. The CST facilitates
backward compatibility with RSTP and STP

Because MSTP encodes region information after the standard RSTP BPDU, a switch running RSTP
interprets MSTP BPDUs as RSTP BPDUs. This behavior facilitates full compatibility between devices
running MSTP and devices running STP or RSTP. MSTP uses the same Ethernet frame as STP and RSTP.
However, the BPDU information in the data field is different. The first 13 fields in the MST BPDU contain
similar information to what you would find in an RSTP BPDU. In fact, an RSTP-speaking switch evaluates
these fields in the same manner as it would any other RSTP BPDU. To the outside world (other MSTI
regions or standalone RSTP devices), these fields are a representation of the virtual bridge that is an
individual MSTP region. This information is used to build the CST.

All MSTP environments contain a CST, which is used to interconnect individual MST regions and
independent STP devices. All bridges in the CST elect a single root bridge. The root bridge is responsible
for the path calculation for the CST. As illustrated on the slide, bridges outside of the MST region treat
each MST region as a virtual bridge, regardless of the actual number of devices participating in each MST
region. The common and internal spanning tree (CIST) is a single topology that connects all switches
(RSTP and MSTP devices) through an active topology. The CIST includes a single spanning tree as
calculated by RSTP together with the logical continuation of connectivity through MST regions. MSTP
calculates the CIST and the CIST ensures connectivity between LANs and devices within a bridged
network. Each MSTP region builds a spanning tree for the region, referred to as an internal spanning
tree, based upon the remaining BPDU fields. For a switch to participate in a region’s internal spanning
tree and use the information in this portion of the BPDU, it must be configured with the same
configuration ID. Therefore, all switches in the same region must be configured with the same
configuration ID. This approach to configuration ensures that when MSTP switches outside of the local
MSTP region receive MSTP BPDUs, those switches will evaluate only the CST-related information

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(illustrated on the previous slide). Once the internal spanning tree is built, by default, all traffic on all
VLANs will follow it.

Without the use of MSTI configuration methods, traffic for all VLANs within a region flows along the
path of the internal spanning tree. To override this behavior and allow some VLANs to take one path
through the region and let others take other paths (64 paths are possible for each region), you must
configure MSTIs as part of the router MSTI configuration. The information carried in the MSTI
configuration messages allows each switch to elect root bridges, root ports, designated ports,
designated bridges, and so forth for each MSTI. Each MSTI will have one or more VLANs associated with
them. One VLAN cannot be in more than one MSTI. Notice that the MSTI messages do not carry VLAN ID
information. The VLAN-to-MSTI mappings are configured locally on each switch and each switch
configuration should use the same mappings

Configuring MSTP
• [Edit protocols mstp]
user@switch1# show
Configuration-name test >>>>>>>>> user defined configuration name
revision-level 1; >>>>>>>>> Must match on participating switches
msti 1 {
bridge-priority 4k;
vlan 10-20; >>>>>>>>>>>>>vlan mapping must match
msti 2 {
bridge-priority 8k;
vlan 30-40; >>>>>>>>>>>>>vlan mapping must match

• [Edit protocols mstp]

user@switch2# show
Configuration-name test >>>>>>>>> user defined configuration name
revision-level 1; >>>>>>>>> Must match on participating switches
msti 1 {
bridge-priority 8k;
vlan 10-20; >>>>>>>>>>>>>vlan mapping must match
msti 2 {
bridge-priority 4k;
vlan 30-40; >>>>>>>>>>>>>vlan mapping must match

This slide illustrates the configuration structure for MSTP along with some of the key configuration
parameters and considerations. Note that some of the MSTP configuration values must match on all
devices participating in the same MSTP region. The MSTP configuration values that must match include:
• Configuration name: A user-defined value used to represent the region. Note that this value can be
left blank but must match on all devices in a common region.

• Revision level: A user-defined value that represents the MSTP configuration version number. By
default this value is 0.

• MSTI-to-VLAN mapping: A mapping between a specific MSTI and the VLANs that MSTI will service. This
value must match on all devices in a common MSTP region. All VLANs not specifically mapped to a user-
defined MSTI are automatically associated with MSTI 0 (the common spanning tree instance).

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VSTP

VSTP allows for spanning trees to be calculated for each VLAN. VSTP is a nonstandard protocol, yet it is
compatible with Cisco’s PVST+ and RPVST+ protocols.

You can use Juniper Networks switches with VSTP and Cisco switches with PVST+ and Rapid-PVST+ in the
same network. Cisco supports a proprietary Per-VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST) protocol, which maintains a
separate spanning tree instance per each VLAN. One Spanning Tree per VLAN allows fine grain load
balancing but requires more BPDU CPU processing as the number of VLANs increases. PVST runs on
Cisco proprietary ISL trunks which is not supported by Juniper. Juniper switches only inter-operate with
PVST+ and Rapid-PVST+

VSTP and RSTP are the only spanning-tree protocols that can be configured concurrently on a device.
The maximum number of VLANs that can be supported by VSTP on a switch depends on the device you
are currently using.

Where can I configure VSTP?

You can configure VSTP at the global level:

• For all interfaces on the switch

• For all interfaces within all VLANs
• For all interfaces within a specified VLAN

When using VSTP on EX Series switches, you can selectively configure up to 253 VLANs which map to
distinct spanning tree

topologies. You can enable RSTP for all VLANs not participating in VSTP. VSTP and RSTP are the only
spanning-tree protocols

that can be configured concurrently on an EX Series switch. Any other combination will result in a
commit error as shown

below:

[edit protocols]

user@switch# commit

[edit protocols]

'mstp'

Another xSTP protocol is enabled

error: Another xSTP protocol is enabled

error: configuration check-out failed

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VSTP advantages

VSTP has the following benefits:

• Connects devices that are not part of the network

• Compatible with Cisco PVST+
• VSTP and RSTP are the only spanning-tree protocols that can be configured concurrently on a
device.

VSTP disadvantages

Switches configured to run VSTP automatically assign each VLAN to one spanning-tree instance that runs
RSTP. While this approach is useful to optimize network usage in small networks with a limited number
of VLANs, a VSTP configuration in networks with several hundred VLANs can overload switch CPUs. For
this and other reasons, we recommend you use MSTP when possible. MSTP ensures that your network
does not slow down from the increased network traffic caused by hundreds of VLANs, each with its own
spanning-tree instance. Unlike VSTP, MSTP sends a single BPDU regardless of the number of instances
used.

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