Bridging the Gap: Spanning Tree Protocol and EtherChannel
· 7 min read
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is the ultimate safety net for any Layer 2 network, but it comes with a frustrating catch: to prevent broadcast storms, it ruthlessly blocks redundant links. If you run four 1Gbps cables between two core switches, STP will shut down three of them, leaving you with 3Gbps of dark, wasted fiber. This is where EtherChannel steps in. By bundling physical links into a single logical connection, we can finally stop wasting bandwidth while keeping STP completely happy.