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CCNP ENCOR lab 5 of 36

Rapid PVST+: root placement, load sharing and tuning

Take a four-switch campus block from default PVST+ with a random root to Rapid PVST+ with planned roots per VLAN, long path costs, a tuned management path and edge ports, then watch RSTP converge in a second.

Run this lab

It needs Lite: its 6 nodes are set to 6 vCPU and 5,120 MB in total. That fits the free demo too.

In your workspace: Shared, then CCNP ENCOR 350-401 guided labs, then 05 - Rapid PVST plus - root placement load sharing and tuning

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Level
Intermediate
Time
About 65 minutes
Nodes need
6 vCPU, 5,120 MB
Smallest plan
Lite

The scenario

The Leeds warehouse block now has two distribution switches, DSW1 and DSW2, each with an uplink to both access switches, so there are loops for spanning tree to break. Nobody has configured STP, so the switches run default PVST+, the root bridge is whichever switch has the lowest MAC address, and a failed uplink takes up to 50 seconds to recover.

Your brief from the design team:

  • Run Rapid PVST+ everywhere and use long (32-bit) path costs.
  • DSW1 is root for VLANs 10 and 99 and backup root for VLAN 20; DSW2 is root for VLAN 20 and backup root for VLANs 10 and 99. Both uplinks then carry traffic.
  • The management VLAN 99 traffic from ASW2 must use ASW2's uplink to DSW2 (Gi0/2) while it's available.
  • Ports to PCs are edge ports.
DeviceLinksAddresses
DSW1Gi0/0 → DSW2, Gi0/1 → ASW1, Gi0/2 → ASW2Vlan10 10.10.10.2, Vlan20 10.10.20.2, Vlan99 10.10.99.2 (routes between VLANs)
DSW2Gi0/0 → DSW1, Gi0/1 → ASW1, Gi0/2 → ASW2Vlan99 10.10.99.3
ASW1Gi0/1 → DSW1, Gi0/2 → DSW2, Gi1/0 → PC1 (VLAN 10)Vlan99 10.10.99.11
ASW2Gi0/1 → DSW1, Gi0/2 → DSW2, Gi1/0 → PC2 (VLAN 20)Vlan99 10.10.99.12
PC1 / PC2eth010.10.10.10 / 10.10.20.10, gateways .2 on DSW1

All inter-switch links are already 802.1Q trunks (native 999, allowed 10, 20, 99), and the switches use VTP transparent mode.

Topology: DSW1 and DSW2 linked together; each access switch has one uplink to each distribution switch.

What you’ll practise

  • Read bridge IDs, root ports, designated ports and alternate ports
  • Migrate from PVST+ to Rapid PVST+ and explain RSTP's roles, states and proposal/agreement
  • Place the root bridge per VLAN with the root primary/secondary macros to share load
  • Use the long path-cost method and per-VLAN port cost to steer one VLAN's path
  • Configure edge ports and observe RSTP convergence after a link failure

The tasks

  1. Find today's root
  2. Move to Rapid PVST+ and long path costs
  3. Place the roots and share the load
  4. Steer the management VLAN on ASW2
  5. Make the PC ports edge ports
  6. Watch RSTP converge

The Lab Tasks pane has the scenario, these tasks, the checks to run, hints and the full solution.

Topology and devices

The network as it opens in EVE-NG, drawn from the lab’s own canvas, and the image each node runs.

Topology of Rapid PVST plus - root placement load sharing and tuning6 nodes, 7 links. Every link is listed as text below the diagram.DSW1DSW2ASW1ASW2PC1PC2Gi1/0eth0Gi1/0eth0Gi0/1Gi0/1Gi0/2Gi0/2Gi0/0Gi0/0Gi0/2Gi0/1Gi0/1Gi0/2
6 nodes, with the interface names each link uses.
Every link, as text
  • DSW1 Gi0/0 to DSW2 Gi0/0
  • DSW1 Gi0/1 to ASW1 Gi0/1
  • DSW1 Gi0/2 to ASW2 Gi0/1
  • DSW2 Gi0/1 to ASW1 Gi0/2
  • DSW2 Gi0/2 to ASW2 Gi0/2
  • ASW1 Gi1/0 to PC1 eth0
  • ASW2 Gi1/0 to PC2 eth0
Nodes in Rapid PVST+: root placement, load sharing and tuning, with the image each runs and the vCPU and RAM it’s set to
NodeDeviceImage in Add NodeSet to
DSW1Cisco IOSvL2viosl2-adventerprisek9-m.ssa.high_iron_202009291 vCPU, 768 MB
DSW2Cisco IOSvL2viosl2-adventerprisek9-m.ssa.high_iron_202009291 vCPU, 768 MB
ASW1Cisco IOSvL2viosl2-adventerprisek9-m.ssa.high_iron_202009291 vCPU, 768 MB
ASW2Cisco IOSvL2viosl2-adventerprisek9-m.ssa.high_iron_202009291 vCPU, 768 MB
PC1VPCS hostBuilt in to EVE-NGCounted as 1 vCPU, 1,024 MB
PC2VPCS hostBuilt in to EVE-NGCounted as 1 vCPU, 1,024 MB

How to open this lab

  1. Sign in to your workspace at lab.cloudlabbox.com.

  2. In File Manager, open Shared, then the folder CCNP ENCOR 350-401 guided labs.

  3. Open 05 - Rapid PVST plus - root placement load sharing and tuning and start its nodes, then open Lab Tasks for the scenario and the steps.

The lab is read-only. You can start the nodes and configure the devices, but changes to the topology can’t be saved. To change it, rebuild it in your own folder.

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CloudLabBox is independent of Cisco. The lab follows exam topics and isn’t vendor training material; vendor names identify the exams and the images in the workspace.