CloudLabBox
Try the free demo

HCIA-Datacom lab 9 of 22

MSTP regions and instances for load sharing

Fix the wasted bandwidth of a single spanning tree. You build an MSTP region with two instances, give each instance its own root, and prove that two VLAN groups now use different uplinks while both stay protected from loops.

Run this lab

It needs Standard: its 5 nodes are set to 8 vCPU and 8,192 MB in total.

In your workspace: Shared, then HCIA-Datacom H12-811 guided labs, then 09 - MSTP regions and instances for load sharing

Run it on Standard from £5 a day

The free demo can’t run it: it has 6 vCPU and 8 GB, and this lab’s nodes need 8 vCPU and 8,192 MB together. Every lab plan includes every guided lab.

Level
Advanced
Time
About 60 minutes
Nodes need
8 vCPU, 8,192 MB
Smallest plan
Standard

The scenario

Northwind's access switch SW3 has two uplinks: GE1/0/3 to SW1 and GE1/0/2 to SW2, and the two distribution switches are linked to each other. With RSTP there is one tree for all VLANs, so one uplink sits blocked and idle. The team wants Finance and Sales (VLANs 10 and 20) to use the uplink to SW1, and Logistics and Guest (VLANs 30 and 40) to use the uplink to SW2. Each uplink should back up the other.

ItemValue
MSTP regionname NORTHWIND, revision 1
Instance 1VLANs 10 and 20; primary root SW1, secondary SW2
Instance 2VLANs 30 and 40; primary root SW2, secondary SW1
Gateways (on SW1)Vlanif10 192.168.10.1/24, Vlanif30 192.168.30.1/24
PC1 / PC2SW3 GE1/0/10 (VLAN 10) / SW3 GE1/0/11 (VLAN 30)

What you’ll practise

  • Explain why one spanning tree for all VLANs wastes links, and how MSTP maps VLANs to instances
  • Configure an MSTP region (name, revision, VLAN-to-instance mapping) identically on every switch
  • Set a different primary and secondary root per instance
  • Read display stp region-configuration and display stp instance N brief

The tasks

  1. Load the starting configuration
  2. Configure the region on all three switches
  3. Enable MSTP, then close the loop
  4. Give each instance its own root
  5. Prove the load sharing
  6. Break the region on purpose

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 MSTP regions and instances for load sharing5 nodes, 5 links. Every link is listed as text below the diagram.SW1SW2SW3PC1PC2GE1/0/10eth0GE1/0/11eth0GE1/0/2GE1/0/2GE1/0/3GE1/0/3GE1/0/1GE1/0/1
5 nodes, with the interface names each link uses.
Every link, as text
  • SW1 GE1/0/1 to SW2 GE1/0/1
  • SW2 GE1/0/2 to SW3 GE1/0/2
  • SW1 GE1/0/3 to SW3 GE1/0/3
  • SW3 GE1/0/10 to PC1 eth0
  • SW3 GE1/0/11 to PC2 eth0
Nodes in MSTP regions and instances for load sharing, with the image each runs and the vCPU and RAM it’s set to
NodeDeviceImage in Add NodeSet to
SW1Huawei CloudEngine CE6800huaweice6800-bundled2 vCPU, 2,048 MB
SW2Huawei CloudEngine CE6800huaweice6800-bundled2 vCPU, 2,048 MB
SW3Huawei CloudEngine CE6800huaweice6800-bundled2 vCPU, 2,048 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 HCIA-Datacom H12-811 guided labs.

  3. Open 09 - MSTP regions and instances for load sharing 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.

More HCIA-Datacom labs

All HCIA-Datacom labs

Related labs in other courses

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