Simple RSTP between EXOS and 3rd party switches

[jeronimo]

Hey,

I've been trying to make sense of the docs when it comes to configuring RSTP in a simple way and in a more or less simple topology. (On older/EOS systems: do nothing at all besides activating it, if it is not running by default)

Page 1102 of EXOS 22.4 User Guide shows an RSTP setup apparently defining a carrier VLAN. However, page 1056 (in the introduction part to Spanning Tree Domains and carrier/protected VLANs), RSTP is not mentioned in the list of STP protocols requiring a carrier VLAN.

I also found the following, which does indeed look simple: https://extremeportal.force.com/ExtrArticleDetail?an=000080794

Is using the default "Default" VLAN (VLAN 1) everywhere a prerequisite for the knowledgebase article to work? If so, what would be the actual steps to have EXOS RSTP interoperate in the following way with 3rd party switches running "port-based" RSTP:

Is also found this: https://extremeportal.force.com/ExtrArticleDetail?an=000079923

When we set up the 3rd party stuff we used RSTP because we didn't want all the fuzz with MSTP and regions and instances etc. anymore, which we didn't use anyway. Now you'll probably be telling me that MSTP is easier to set up than RSTP. Is that info still valid? Argh (Unfortunately the KB articles give no indication as to when they were created or last updated)

BTW most examples create an STP domain s1, while I guess we should just go and redefine s0?

Thanks.

PS. Why is it that "An STPD with multiple VLANs must contain only VLANs that belong to the same virtual router" ?

[StephenW]

The article you linked is compatible with RSTP, and the most straight forward way to configure it. The script Dave mentioned will accomplish the same thing, and it will add new vlans to S0 as you create them.

[Dave_Hammers]

Correct, MSTP is compatible with RSTP if you wanted to give it a try

[jeronimo]

If I understand the script Dave mentioned correctly, it's about MSTP, not RSTP?

[Dave_Hammers]

Depending on which EXOS release you are running, the ezspantree.py application is included on the switch. It was written and included with EXOS to help EOS customers transition to EXOS. Take a look at http://api.extremenetworks.com/EXOS/Applications/EzSpanningTree/ to see if that will work for you.