PVST+ & Rapid PVST+ 1

[kapupu]

Ok is it safe to say that there are 2 type of loop avoidance for layer 2 switch. They are STP & RSTP:
STP can use PVST or PVST+ to prevent loop
RSTP on the other hand can use PVST+ OR Rapid PVST+
Am I right? Any input would is appreciated.

 

[PScottC]

There is only one loop avoidance algorithm used by all switches: STP. There are 3 different implementations of the protocol found on Cisco switches: PVST+, Rapid PVST+, and MST. PVST+ is an enhancement of the base STP, which accounts for more than one VLAN, hence "Per-VLAN Spanning Tree". By forming Spanning Trees for each VLAN, you can set up different root bridges for each VLAN and optimize your switching topology based on the traffic patterns you expect. Rapid PVST+ enhances this further by allowing loop detection to occur faster, thus allowing ports to go into forwarding mode more quickly. Multiple Spanning Tree (MST) allows you to connect different switching topologies together, while continuing to prevent loops.

If you are 100% Cisco for your switching, I would suggest using Rapid PVST+ because it will allow your links to come up significantly faster (about 5 seconds) than the default (about 30 seconds).

PSC
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[kapupu]

Thanks for the clarification.