Section 4.7: Spanning-Tree Design

STP and its computations are very predictable. However, some external factors may influence STP decisions, making the resulting tree structure neither expected nor ideal. For example, several versions of Spanning- Tree exist and are used by various vendors. Interoperability of these versions could be important in a mixed-vendor network. The network administrator can also make adjustments to the Spanning-Tree operation to control its behavior. The location of the Root Bridge should be determined as part of the design process. Also, redundant links can be used for load balancing in parallel if configured correctly.

Furthermore, Spanning-Tree can be configured to converge quickly and predictably in the event of a major topology change.