Spanning Tree Protocol - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof Messer

steve

Part of the Seventh Generation Prof Messer CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Certification Training Series

mary

If you have a bad switch are you informed in any way?

scottalanmiller

@mary said in Spanning Tree Protocol - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof Messer:

If you have a bad switch are you informed in any way?

Generally no. "Bad switch" is an awfully general thing. Most switches are "dumb", just simple boxes with zero communications with the outside world. A good, managed switch might have some alerting, depending on how it fails, and how you are monitoring it.

the problem with any device failing is that it generally does not know that it is failing or it wouldn't fail. Switches are very core so rarely can detect their own failures.

Mostly you detect switch failures from there being problems on the network and just testing. These days switches have a tendency to just die, or just work. In the past you used to have a port here or there that would fail. Switches failing can do weird things, but often just give up and quit on you.

melvinsilva

I had experience when "users" manipulate patch panel or switch and plug both end of the cable (patch cord) to the same switch, creating a physical loop, but STP blocks this and prevent network issues.

scottalanmiller

@melvinsilva said in Spanning Tree Protocol - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof Messer:

I had experience when "users" manipulate patch panel or switch and plug both end of the cable (patch cord) to the same switch, creating a physical loop, but STP blocks this and prevent network issues.

We've seen this within the past year!

travisdh1

@melvinsilva said in Spanning Tree Protocol - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof Messer:

I had experience when "users" manipulate patch panel or switch and plug both end of the cable (patch cord) to the same switch, creating a physical loop, but STP blocks this and prevent network issues.

Yeah, having switches that have STP turned on by default can be such a life saver in those situations. One place I worked liked to put in unmanaged switches all over the place. Caused me multiple long nights just tracking down which switch was the issue and then finding the loop cable. I knew exactly what was going on, finding it without good documentation and people saying "Oh, there's another network thingy over here." was just so much.... fun.