HP Intelligent Management Center v7.0 VAN Fabric Manager Administrator Guide

8 Managing SPB
IEEE 802.1aq Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) enables multipath routing in an Ethernet mesh network.
The technology allows all paths to be active, supports equal cost paths, and provides the shortest
path forwarding in an Ethernet mesh network.
Shortest path bridging MAC mode (SPBM) is one bridging method of IEEE 802.1aq SPB. Unless
otherwise stated, the term "SPB" in this document refers to SPBM.
You can use IMC VFM to manage an SPB network. As shown in Figure 17, an SPB network includes
backbone edge bridges (BEBs) and backbone core bridges (BCBs). The nodes in an SPB network
run ISIS-SPB to prevent loops and calculate the shortest path for a frame.
Figure 17 SPB network model
SPB deployment and maintenance
You can use VFM to deploy an SPB network and maintain its basic SPB parameters. To tune ISIS-SPB
parameters, you must use the CLI of each SPB device.
This document describes SPB management from the following aspects:
• Device management
• B-VLAN planning
• SPB service management
• AC monitoring
For more information, see the SPBM configuration guide for the managed devices.
SPB deployment and maintenance 85