ENSC427: Communications Network
Spring 2013
Evaluation and Comparison of Spanning Tree Protocol
and Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol on Cisco switches via OPNET
Project By Team #2
Project Team Members
Tao Xiong
txiong@sfu.ca
Joseph Lu
zla18@sfu.ca
Sen Jiang
senj@sfu.ca
PROJECT ABSTRACT
Our project intends to evaluate and compare the performances of STP and RSTP on Cisco switches supported by OPNET. We were planning to do the comparison of STP with more other types such as Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol. However, after searching in OPNET V16.0, we found that in OPNET, Cisco switches only support STP and RSTP.
Our project will first introduce some background information regarding VLAN, STP, RSTP, Layer Two Switches, Layer Three Switches, Distribution Layer, Access Layer, and so on. Besides the background information, our project will discuss some companies that produce switches, especially the one's switches we will be using: Cisco.
Our project then will include our work on OPNET. We are planning to build and configure the topologies, then analyze and explain some snapshots taken from OPNET. We will create STP tree with three layers which totally have approximately ten Cisco switches, and observe the performance of connection coming back up after disconnecting the loop. After finishing the STP evaluation, we will run the same procedure for RSTP, and finally compare their results for a conclusion.
LINKS TO PROJECT FILES
Project Presentation (PDF)
Project Report (PDF)
REFERNECES
[1] Torki, F.; Mirjalily, G.; saadat, R. "An Efficient Fast Algorithm to Select the Best Spanning Tree in Metro Ethernet Networks".
Internet: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5955582, 18 Jul, 2011 [16 Feb, 2013]
[2] Azcorra, A.; Ibanez, G. "Application of Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol for Automatic Hierarchical Address Assignment to Bridges".
Internet: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=1341886, 25 Oct, 2004 [16 Feb, 2013]
[3] Mirjalily, G.; Karimi, M.H.; Adibnia, F.; Rajai, S. "An Approach to Select the Best Spanning Tree in Metro Ethernet Networks".
Internet: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4594749, 08 Aug, 2008 [16 Feb, 2013]
[4] Marchese, M.; Mongelli, M.; Portomauro, G. "Simple Protocol Enhancements of Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol over Ring Topology".
Internet: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5683943, 10 Jan, 2011 [16 Feb, 2013]
[5] He Peng; Pan Heng; Li Xiangdong; Zheng Qiusheng. "Physical Topology Discovery Based on Spanning Tree Protocol".
Internet: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5622296, 04 Nov, 2010 [16 Feb, 2013]