Which statement describes the term root bridge in the operation of STP?
- It is a switch that is at the top of the spanning tree and whose ports are all forwarding and are all categorized as designated ports.
- It is a safety mechanism that shuts down ports configured with STP portfast upon receipt of a BPDU.
- It is a feature that prevents any alternative or root ports from becoming designated ports because of a loss of BPDUs on the root port.
- It is a value that decides which switch can become the root bridge.
| Explanation & Hints:
The statement that describes the term root bridge in the operation of STP is:
Explanation: The root bridge in Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is the central reference point in the STP topology from which all path costs are calculated. It is selected through a network-wide election process based on the lowest bridge ID, which combines the priority value and the MAC address of the switch. Once elected, the root bridge serves as the top of the spanning tree, and all paths in the network are determined based on their distance to the root bridge. All active ports on the root bridge are designated ports, and they are in a forwarding state, ensuring that there are no loops in the network topology and that all segments of the network can communicate with each other. The role of the root bridge is crucial for the stable operation and efficiency of the STP network. |