TSW212- RSTP with multiple rings

[auto_roller]

I am looking at using 6 TSW212s but with multiple rings, i.e. two of the switches will be linked together via Ethernet (port 1 of one to port 1 of the other). Then there will be an SFP link to another TSW212, which also has an SFP back to the first TSW212.

Can the RSTP implementation on the TSW212 handle multiple loops correctly for this high availability scenario?

[Justinas]

Greetings,

Yes, the RSTP implementation on the TSW212 can handle this topology.

Standard RSTP (IEEE 802.1w) is designed to handle multiple physical loops/rings within a network. The switch will calculate a single loop-free path for the whole network and place the redundant links (e.g., your Ethernet link) into a Standby state. If the primary SFP link fails, RSTP will automatically unblock the Ethernet link to restore connectivity.

The TSW212 supports standard RSTP, but not PVST (Cisco proprietary) or MSTP. This means:

1. You have High Availability (if a cable breaks, the backup takes over).
2. You do not have Load Balancing (you cannot use the SFP and Ethernet links simultaneously for different VLANs; the backup link stays idle until a failure occurs).

Best Regards,
Justinas