Spanning Tree Protocol

A spanning tree is a protocol which is used to configure the loop free network.  It is a link management protocol which prevents the loops and network congestions in the networks.  It runs by on the Cisco Switches by default and we can modify it according to our requirements and network configurations.  Loops are crated in the network by multiple network paths.

The loops must be avoided in the computer network because they flood them with the lot of unwanted traffic.  They send the same traffic in the network again and again and generate the network congestions. Spanning Tree protocol allows only one active path between two network devices and it this way it avoids the loops and congestions.

STP allows the network bridges to communication with each other so that only one bridge can handle the messages between two computers.  If one network segment becomes unreachable the STP reconfigures the Spanning tree topology to establish the connection again.