Spanning Tree Protocol Scenario-Based Questions

1. What steps would you take to troubleshoot a network that is experiencing frequent outages due to spanning tree loops?

2. If a client reports that a newly added switch is causing disruption in their VLAN allocation due to spanning tree issues, how would you diagnose and resolve the problem?

3. Imagine a scenario where an inter-switch link went down, causing a spanning tree recalculation. How would you communicate the potential impact to the stakeholders and mitigate any service downtime?

4. A colleague implemented Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) incorrectly on a critical network segment, leading to connectivity problems. How would you approach diagnosing and correcting the configuration?

5. You are tasked with designing a resilient network topology using Spanning Tree Protocol. What factors would you consider, and how would you ensure minimal downtime during failovers?

6. In a multi-vendor environment, you notice discrepancies in STP settings affecting overall network performance. How would you resolve compatibility issues while ensuring continuous operations?

7. You discover that the bridge priority has not been set correctly across your switches, leading to suboptimal root bridge selection. What corrective actions would you recommend and implement?

8. A user reports intermittent connectivity issues, and initial checks suggest spanning tree might be the cause. Detail your step-by-step approach to confirming this and resolving the issue.

9. You are implementing Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) but encounter issues with configuration that affect load balancing across VLANs. Describe how you'd troubleshoot and ensure proper functionality.

10. During a routine audit, you find several switches are running older versions of STP with known vulnerabilities. How would you prioritize the upgrades, and what communication strategy would you use to inform affected departments?