Set Protocol Bridge TB

Modifies the spanning tree protocol bridge or port parameters for a new configuration, or tunes the configuration parameters to suit a specific topology.

TB specifies that the transparent bridge (TB) spanning tree protocol parameters are to be affected.

When setting these values, make sure that the following relationships exist between the parameters or the input will be rejected:


2 X (Bridge Forward Delay - 1 second) >= Bridge Maximum Age

Bridge Maximum Age >= 2 X (Bridge Hello Time  + 1 second)

This option specifies that the source routing bridge (SRB) protocol parameters are to be affected.

  1. Enter the Bridge Maximum Age.

    This maximum age (period of time) that should be used to time out spanning tree protocol related information.

    When this bridging router is selected as the root bridge in a spanning tree, the value of this parameter specifies how long other active bridges are to store the configuration bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) they receive. When a BPDU reaches its maximum age limit without being replaced, the active bridges in the network discard it and assume that the root bridge has failed. A new root bridge is then selected.

    Dependencies

    The setting of this parameter may be affected by the setting of the Bridge Hello Time parameter. In addition, the setting of this parameter may affect the setting of the Bridge Forward Delay parameter.

    Valid Values: 6 to 40 seconds

    Default Value: 20 seconds

  2. Enter the Bridge Hello Time value.

    This value is the time interval between HELLO BPDUs.

    When this bridging router is selected as the root bridge in a spanning tree, this parameter specifies how often this bridge transmits configuration bridge protocol data units (BPDUs). BPDUs contain information about the topology of the spanning tree and reflect changes to the topology.

    Dependencies

    The setting of this parameter may affect the setting of the Max age parameter.

    Valid Values: 1 to 10 seconds

    Default Value: 2 seconds

  3. Bridge Forward Delay. This value is the time interval used before changing to another state (should this bridge become the root).

    When this bridging router is selected as the root bridge in a spanning tree, the value of this parameter specifies how long active ports in all bridges remain in a listening state. When the forward delay time expires, ports in the listening state go into the forwarding state. State changes occur as a result of changes in the topology of the spanning tree, such as when an active bridge fails or is shut down.

    The root bridge conveys this value to all bridges. This process ensures that all bridges are consistent between changes.

    Dependencies

    The setting of this parameter may be affected by the setting of the SRB Bridge Max Age parameter.

    Valid Values: 4 to 30 seconds

    Default Value: 15

  4. Bridge Priority

    This value is a high-order 2-octet bridge address found in the Bridge Identifier - either the MAC address obtained from the lowest-numbered port or the address set by the Set Bridge option.

    This parameter is the most significant 2-octet part of the bridge identifier. The bridge identifier consists of two parts: a least significant 6-octet bridge address and the most significant 2-octet bridge priority.

    The bridge priority indicates the chances that this bridge will become the root bridge of the spanning tree. The lower the numerical value of the bridge priority parameter, the higher the priority of the bridge and the more likely it is to be chosen. The spanning tree algorithm chooses the bridge with the lowest numerical value of this parameter to be the root bridge.

    This parameter is the high-order, 2-octet bridge address found in the Bridge Identifier for this bridging router - either the MAC address obtained from the lowest number port, or the address set by the SRB Bridge Address parameter. The value of this parameter specifies the priority of this bridging router. When this bridging router is activated by the network administrator, its priority value is compared to the priority values of other active bridges in the network. The bridge with the highest priority becomes the root bridge of the spanning tree.

    Valid Values: 0 to 65535

    Default Value: 32768

Select the Submit button.


Set Protocol Port

This option modifies the spanning tree protocol port parameters.

  1. Enter the Port Number.

    This is the Bridge port number and selects the port for which the path cost and port priority will be changed.

  2. Enter the Path Cost. Each port interface has an associated path cost which is the relative value of using the port to reach the root bridge in a bridged network. The spanning tree algorithm uses the path cost to compute a path that minimizes the cost from the root bridge to all other bridges in the network topology.

    This parameter specifies the cost associated with passing frames through this port interface, should this bridging router become the root bridge. Factor this value in when determining spanning tree routes between any two stations. A value of 0 instructs the bridging router to automatically calculate a path cost for this port using its own formula.

    Valid Values: 1 to 65535

    Default Value: 0 (means the cost will be calculated automatically)

  3. Enter the Port Priority.

    This parameter specifies the priority of the port used by the spanning tree algorithm in making comparisons for port selection (which port offers the lowest cost path to the root bridge) and blocking decisions.

    Valid Values: 0 to 255

    Default Value: 128

Select the Submit button.


Set Route Descriptor Limit ARE

This option allows the user to associate a maximum Route Descriptor (RD) length for all route explorer (ARE) frames forwarded by the bridge if source routing is enabled.

Enter a RD limit value.

This number specifies the maximum number of RDs that might be contained in the routing information field (RIF) of the frame type specified by the RD limit type.

The hop count for each frame is the number of bridges through which the frame has traveled so far. One RD is added to the Routing Information Field each time the frame passes through a bridge. Therefore, the number of RDs equals the number of hops. When the number of RDs (hops) exceeds the number of hops allowed by this parameter, the frame is discarded.

Valid Values: 0 to 14

Default Value: 14

Select the Submit button.


Set Route Descriptor Limit STE

Allows the user to associate a maximum Route Descriptor (RD) length for all spanning tree explorer (STE) frames forwarded by the bridge if source routing is enabled.

Enter the RD limit value.

This parameter specifies the maximum number of Route Descriptors (RDs) for Spanning Tree Explorer (STE) frames that are transmitted or forwarded by the bridge when source routing is enabled. This number is the maximum number of Route Descriptors (RDs) that can be contained in the Routing Information Field (RIF) of the frame.

The hop count for each frame is the number of bridges through which the frame has traveled so far. One RD is added to the Routing Information field each time the frame passes through a bridge. Therefore, the number of RDs equals the number of hops. When the number of RDs (hops) exceeds the number of hops allowed by this parameter, the frame is discarded.

Valid Values: 0 to 14

Default Value: 14

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Add Address

Use the Tunnel Add option to add the IP address of end stations participating in a unicast or multicast IP addressing configuration.

For IP unicast addressing, the tunneling configuration requires that you supply IP addresses of destination bridges. This record will be used by the router software to convert the segment number in the routing information field (RIF) in a source routed frame to the corresponding IP address of the destination bridge. For transparent bridging frames, it identifies the other endpoint of the tunnel.

For IP multicast addressing, the tunneling configuration requires only the IP multicast address reserved for tunneling. Encapsulation uses three groups of IP multicast addresses. The first group is for sending all-routes explorer (ARE) frames, the second group is for sending spanning tree explorer (STE) frames, and the third group is for sending specifically routed frames (SRF).

Note: The bridging router software transparently differentiates between unicast and multicast addresses.

Enter the IP address to be added.

Valid Values: a valid IP address

Default Value: none

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Delete Address

Use the Delete option to delete the IP addresses of bridges participating in a unicast or multicast IP addressing configuration.

Enter the IP address to be deleted.

Valid Values: a valid IP address

Default Value: none

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Join Client Group

Use the Join option to establish the router as a member of one or more multicast groups. A tunnel group may be one of three types: peer, client, or server. The tunnel group is defined by an integer tag. A bridge can belong to only one group type for each tag. A bridge cannot belong to both Peer Group 1 and Server Group 1, for example.

Enter the group number for the Client Group that you want the router to join.

Valid Values: 1 to 64

Default Value: 0

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Join Peer Group

Use the Join option to establish the MSS Server as a member of one or more multicast groups. A tunnel group may be one of three types: peer, client, or server. The tunnel group is defined by an integer tag. A bridge can belong to only one group type for each tag. A bridge cannot belong to both Peer Group 1 and Server Group 1, for example.

Enter the group number for the Peer Group that you want the router to join.

Valid Values: 1 to 64

Default Value: 0

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Join Server Group

Use the Join option to establish the MSS Server as a member of one or more multicast groups. A tunnel group may be one of three types: peer, client, or server. The tunnel group is defined by an integer tag. A bridge can belong to only one group type for each tag. A bridge cannot belong to both Peer Group 1 and Server Group 1, for example.

Enter the group number for the Peer Group that you want the router to join.

Valid Values: 1 to 64

Default Value: 0

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Leave Client Group

Use the Leave option to remove the MSS Server as a member of multicast groups.

Enter the group number for the Client Group that you want the router to leave.

Valid Values: 1 to 64

Default Value: 0

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Leave Peer Group

Use the Leave option to remove the MSS Server as a member of multicast groups.

Enter the group number for the Peer Group that you want the router to leave.

Valid Values: 1 to 64

Default Value: 0

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Leave Server Group

Use the Leave option to remove the router as a member of multicast groups.

Enter the group number for the Server Group that you want the router to leave.

Valid Values: 1 to 64

Default Value: 0

Select the Submit button.


Tunnel Set Base Multicast Address

This option sets the base multicast IP address of the router for multicast tunneling.

Enter the IP address to be used as the base multicast address of the router.

Valid Values: a valid IP address

Default Value: none

Select the Submit button.