Interconnect Switch User Guide

Configuring the GbE Interconnect Switch Using the Console Management Interface
3-20 Compaq ProLiant BL p-Class GbE Interconnect Switch User Guide
COMPAQ CONFIDENTIAL Codename: Vanilla Part Number: 263680-001 Last Saved On: 4/23/02 9:59 AM
To globally configure the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) on the GbE Interconnect Switch:
1. Highlight Configure Spanning Tree Protocol on the Configuration menu.
2. Press the Enter key. The following screen is displayed.
NOTE: The factory default settings should cover the majority of installations. Compaq
recommends that you keep the default settings as set at the factory unless it is absolutely
necessary to change them.
NOTE: Observe the following formulas when setting the STP parameters:
• Max Age ≤ 2 x (Forward Delay - 1 second)
• Max Age ≥ 2 x (Hello Time + 1 second)
The Configure Spanning Tree screen allows you to set the following:
— Status—Toggle to Enabled to implement STP on the GbE Interconnect Switch.
— Max Age—The maximum age can be set from 6 to 40 seconds. At the end of the
maximum age, if a Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) has still not been received
from the Root Bridge, your GbE Interconnect Switch will start sending its own
BPDU to all other switches for permission to become the Root Bridge. If your GbE
Interconnect Switch has the lowest Bridge Identifier, it will become the Root Bridge.
— Hello Time—The hello time can be set from 1 to 10 seconds. This is the interval
between two transmissions of BPDU packets sent by the Root Bridge to tell all other
switches that it is indeed the Root Bridge. If you set a hello time for your GbE
Interconnect Switch, and it is not the Root Bridge, the set hello time will be used if
and when your GbE Interconnect Switch becomes the Root Bridge. The hello time
cannot be longer than the maximum age, otherwise, a configuration error will occur.