Sunday, April 15, 2012

Multiple Instance Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)


In this scenario, I have 4 switches connected in a loop with two links per switch for peering. I want to configure MSTP in such a way that half of the VLANs use SW1 as the root bridge, and the other half of the VLANs use SW2 as the root bridge. If either SW1 or SW2 were to fail, I want the remaining switch of the two to take over as the root bridge for the failed device. Additionally, I want to ensure that SW3 reaches the root for Instance 1 through SW4 by adjusting port cost, and SW4 to use Fa0/17 to reach the root of Instance 2 adjusting port priority.



To set a baseline; VLANs 10, 20, 30, and 40 are configured for the switching domain, and cabling has been done per the diagram.

I'l start with configuring MST instances 1 and 2 on all 4 Switches (SW1 is shown).


SW1(config)#spanning-tree mode mst
SW1(config)#
SW1(config)#spanning-tree mst configuration 
SW1(config-mst)#name MST
SW1(config-mst)#revision 1
SW1(config-mst)#instance 1 vlan 10,30
SW1(config-mst)#instance 2 vlan 20,40
SW1(config-mst)#
SW1(config-mst)#do show spanning-tree mst configuration  
Name      [MST]
Revision  1     Instances configured 3

Instance  Vlans mapped
--------  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
0         1-9,11-19,21-29,31-39,41-4094
1         10,30
2         20,40
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SW1(config-mst)#exit
SW1(config)#


Note that with MST, any VLAN that I have not specifically configured for an instance will be found in MST instance 0.

To configure priority for an instance, I can either use the spanning-tree mst 'x' priority command, or the spanning-tree mst 'x' root command. Using the priority command, I can manually set the value, but using the root command, I allow the switch to calculate the value. Depending on the environment, it may be beneficial to set the priority manually. For MST 1, I'll use the priority command, and for MST 2, I'll use the root command.


SW1(config)#spanning-tree mst 1 priority 0 
SW1(config)#spanning-tree mst 2 root secondary 
SW1(config)#


SW2(config)#spanning-tree mst 1 priority 4096
SW2(config)#spanning-tree mst 2 root primary 
SW2(config)#


Here are the MST 1 and 2 resulting outputs for Switch 1 and 2.


SW1(config)#do show spanning-tree mst 1

##### MST1    vlans mapped:   10,30
Bridge        address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1     (0 sysid 1)
Root          this switch for MST1

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Desg FWD 200000    128.15   P2p 
Fa0/14           Desg FWD 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/16           Desg FWD 200000    128.18   P2p 
Fa0/17           Desg FWD 200000    128.19   P2p 

SW1(config)#do show spanning-tree mst 2

##### MST2    vlans mapped:   20,40
Bridge        address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      28674 (28672 sysid 2)
Root          address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      24578 (24576 sysid 2)
              port    Fa0/13          cost          200000    rem hops 19

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Root FWD 200000    128.15   P2p 
Fa0/14           Altn BLK 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/16           Desg FWD 200000    128.18   P2p 
Fa0/17           Desg FWD 200000    128.19   P2p 

SW1(config)#


SW2(config)#do show spanning-tree mst 1

##### MST1    vlans mapped:   10,30
Bridge        address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      4097  (4096 sysid 1)
Root          address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1     (0 sysid 1)
              port    Fa0/13          cost          200000    rem hops 19

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Root FWD 200000    128.15   P2p 
Fa0/14           Altn BLK 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/19           Desg FWD 200000    128.21   P2p 
Fa0/20           Desg FWD 200000    128.22   P2p 

SW2(config)#do show spanning-tree mst 2

##### MST2    vlans mapped:   20,40
Bridge        address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      24578 (24576 sysid 2)
Root          this switch for MST2

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Desg FWD 200000    128.15   P2p 
Fa0/14           Desg FWD 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/19           Desg FWD 200000    128.21   P2p 
Fa0/20           Desg FWD 200000    128.22   P2p 

SW2(config)#


Note that the output shows SW1 as the root for MST 1, and SW2 as the root for MST 2; with SW1's priority for MST 2 putting it as the successor if there were a root bridge election, and SW2's priority for MST 1 putting it as the successor if there were a root bridge election. I can look at the inferior bridge priorities for SW3 and SW4 to verify that would indeed be the case.


SW3#show spanning-tree mst 1

##### MST1    vlans mapped:   10,30
Bridge        address 000c.30fd.2e80  priority      32769 (32768 sysid 1)
Root          address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1     (0 sysid 1)
              port    Fa0/13          cost          200000    rem hops 19

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Root FWD 200000    128.13   P2p 
Fa0/14           Altn BLK 200000    128.14   P2p 
Fa0/19           Desg FWD 200000    128.19   P2p 
Fa0/20           Desg FWD 200000    128.20   P2p 

SW3#show spanning-tree mst 2

##### MST2    vlans mapped:   20,40
Bridge        address 000c.30fd.2e80  priority      32770 (32768 sysid 2)
Root          address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      24578 (24576 sysid 2)
              port    Fa0/13          cost          400000    rem hops 18

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Root FWD 200000    128.13   P2p 
Fa0/14           Altn BLK 200000    128.14   P2p 
Fa0/19           Altn BLK 200000    128.19   P2p 
Fa0/20           Altn BLK 200000    128.20   P2p 

SW3#


SW4#show spanning-tree mst 1

##### MST1    vlans mapped:   10,30
Bridge        address 000b.be51.a680  priority      32769 (32768 sysid 1)
Root          address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1     (0 sysid 1)
              port    Fa0/16          cost          400000    rem hops 18

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/16           Root FWD 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/17           Altn BLK 200000    128.17   P2p 
Fa0/19           Altn BLK 200000    128.19   P2p 
Fa0/20           Altn BLK 200000    128.20   P2p 

SW4#show spanning-tree mst 2

##### MST2    vlans mapped:   20,40
Bridge        address 000b.be51.a680  priority      32770 (32768 sysid 2)
Root          address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      24578 (24576 sysid 2)
              port    Fa0/16          cost          200000    rem hops 19

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/16           Root FWD 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/17           Altn BLK 200000    128.17   P2p 
Fa0/19           Desg FWD 200000    128.19   P2p 
Fa0/20           Desg FWD 200000    128.20   P2p 

SW4#


Looking above, I can see that SW3's root port for MST 1 is currently Fa0/13 which is directly connected to SW1. In order for SW3 to use SW4 for its path to the root using port cost, I'll use 'show spanning-tree mst 1 detail' to learn how much I'll need to adjust the cost.


SW3#show spanning-tree mst 1 detail

##### MST1    vlans mapped:   10,30
Bridge        address 000c.30fd.2e80  priority      32769 (32768 sysid 1)
Root          address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1     (0 sysid 1)
              port    Fa0/13          cost          200000    rem hops 19

FastEthernet0/13 of MST1 is root forwarding 
Port info             port id         128.13  priority    128  cost      200000
Designated root       address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1  cost           0
Designated bridge     address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1  port id   128.18
Timers: message expires in 5 sec, forward delay 0, forward transitions 2
Bpdus (MRecords) sent 6072, received 4544

FastEthernet0/14 of MST1 is alternate blocking 
Port info             port id         128.14  priority    128  cost      200000
Designated root       address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1  cost           0
Designated bridge     address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1  port id   128.19
Timers: message expires in 4 sec, forward delay 0, forward transitions 1
Bpdus (MRecords) sent 15955, received 15033

FastEthernet0/19 of MST1 is designated forwarding 
Port info             port id         128.19  priority    128  cost      200000
Designated root       address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1  cost      200000
Designated bridge     address 000c.30fd.2e80  priority  32769  port id   128.19
Timers: message expires in 0 sec, forward delay 0, forward transitions 1
Bpdus (MRecords) sent 5677, received 7710

FastEthernet0/20 of MST1 is designated forwarding 
Port info             port id         128.20  priority    128  cost      200000
Designated root       address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1  cost      200000
Designated bridge     address 000c.30fd.2e80  priority  32769  port id   128.20
Timers: message expires in 0 sec, forward delay 0, forward transitions 2
Bpdus (MRecords) sent 13667, received 19642

SW3#    


Since I have a total cost of 200000 to reach the root through Fa0/13 and Fa0/14, and a total cost of 400000 for ports Fa0/19 and Fa0/20. I'll increase Fa0/13 and Fa0/14's cost to something higher.


SW3#conf t       
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
SW3(config)#interface range fa0/13 - 14
SW3(config-if-range)#spanning-tree mst 1 cost 20000000
SW3(config-if-range)#exit
SW3(config)# 
SW3(config)#do show spanning-tree mst 1

##### MST1    vlans mapped:   10,30
Bridge        address 000c.30fd.2e80  priority      32769 (32768 sysid 1)
Root          address 0023.ab6f.b980  priority      1     (0 sysid 1)
              port    Fa0/19          cost          600000    rem hops 17

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Altn BLK 20000000  128.13   P2p 
Fa0/14           Altn BLK 20000000  128.14   P2p 
Fa0/19           Root FWD 200000    128.19   P2p 
Fa0/20           Altn BLK 200000    128.20   P2p 

SW3(config)#


Looking above, I can see that SW4 is currently using Fa0/16 to reach the root bridge for MST 2. I'll adjust where SW4 will use Fa0/17 as the root port to reach MST 2 by changing the port priority on SW2. Note that this adjustment must be done on SW2 and NOT on SW4 to be effective.


SW2(config)#interface fa0/20
SW2(config-if)#spanning-tree mst 2 port-priority 0
SW2(config-if)#
SW2(config-if)#do show spanning-tree mst 2

##### MST2    vlans mapped:   20,40
Bridge        address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      24578 (24576 sysid 2)
Root          this switch for MST2

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/13           Desg FWD 200000    128.15   P2p 
Fa0/14           Desg FWD 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/19           Desg FWD 200000    128.21   P2p 
Fa0/20           Desg FWD 200000      0.22   P2p 

SW2(config-if)#


With the port priority adjusted on SW2, I should now see on SW4 that Fa0/17 is the root port for MST 2.


SW4#show spanning-tree mst 2

##### MST2    vlans mapped:   20,40
Bridge        address 000b.be51.a680  priority      32770 (32768 sysid 2)
Root          address 0014.a8e1.fa80  priority      24578 (24576 sysid 2)
              port    Fa0/17          cost          200000    rem hops 19

Interface        Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Fa0/16           Altn BLK 200000    128.16   P2p 
Fa0/17           Root FWD 200000    128.17   P2p 
Fa0/19           Desg FWD 200000    128.19   P2p 
Fa0/20           Desg FWD 200000    128.20   P2p 

SW4#



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