How to manage Multiple Spanning Tree (MSTP) using Command Line on Dell Networking PowerConnect Campus Switches

This article explains how Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) is implemented on Dell Networking PowerConnect Campus Switches. 

Table of Contents
 

Enabling MSTP

1.  Set the STP operational mode to MSTP.

console(config)#spanning-tree mode mst

 

2.  Create and MST instance and associate it to a VLAN

console(config)#spanning-tree mst configuration

console(config-mst)#instance 10 add vlan 10

Dell Networking PowerConnect switches support up to 8 instances of MSTP. Dell Networking N Series switches will support up to 16 instances of MSTP.

3.  Create a region name so that all bridges that want to be a part of the same region can form the region.

console(config)#spanning-tree mst configuration

console(config-mst)#name dell

Setting Root Bridge Priority

1.  Globally a switch can be set as the Regional Root by configuring a higher root bridge priority.

console(config)#spanning-tree priority 8192

2.  Then individual switches can be set as priority for a specific MST Instance.  This provides more control to balance the flow of traffic per MST Instance.

console(config)#spanning-tree mst 10 priority 4096

Enabling Portfast

It is recommended to configure any edge ports, ports that go to end devices such as printers, phones, servers, workstations, to be set up as Portfast. A port in Portfast will move directly to forwarding state when the link comes up without waiting for the forward-time delay.

console(config)#interface te1/0/1

console(config-if)#spanning-tree portfast

Verification of Commands

console# show spanning-tree mst-configuration

console#show spanning-tree mst-configuration

Name: Dell

Revision: 0

 Instance    Vlan Mapped
----------  -----------------------------------------------
 10          10