STP Topology Change Timer
The Topology Change Timer is an important component of the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), which is used in networks to prevent loops. STP is essential for Ethernet networks to ensure a loop-free topology for a broadcast domain. Here's a breakdown of the role and functionality of the Topology Change Timer in STP:
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Topology Changes: A topology change in an STP network occurs when a switch port transitions from a blocking state to a forwarding state or vice versa. This can happen due to switches or links going down, coming up, or other configuration changes.
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Topology Change Notification (TCN): When a switch detects a topology change, it generates a Topology Change Notification (TCN) BPDU (Bridge Protocol Data Unit) and sends it towards the root bridge. This informs other switches in the network to update their forwarding tables, flushing out old entries to ensure that packets are not sent along the outdated paths.
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Topology Change Timer: This timer is started when a switch receives a topology change notification. The default duration of the Topology Change Timer is twice the Forward Delay time + Max Age time. These values are 15 and 20 seconds respectively. Therefore, the Topology Change Timer by default is set to 35 seconds.
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Functionality: During the time the Topology Change Timer is active, switches in the network are in a state of heightened alertness to changes in the network's topology. This means that they temporarily accelerate the aging out of MAC address entries in their forwarding databases. The acceleration ensures that outdated or incorrect information due to the change is quickly removed, allowing the network to converge more rapidly on a new, loop-free topology. In RSTP, the Topology Change Timer is used to define the amount of time a root bridge will set the TC flag in its BPDUs.
The Topology Change Timer should not be confused with the Topology Change While Timer used specifically in RSTP.