Root Bridge or Switch Port
STP has a root and branches like a tree. The primary decision-making switch in an STP environment is called the root bridge. The network flows out from the root bridge to form a logical branched network. All switches in a LAN participating in STP branch from the root switch port or bridge. In Figure 7-2, Bridge 1 is the root bridge, and all connected segments branch from this root.
Figure 7-2. Five-Bridge Network with Root Bridge (Bridge 1)
The first task of the STP is determining where the spanning tree begins—the root bridge or switch port. The root bridge is used to build a reference point in the network so that the ...
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