# Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol

The Rapid Spanning Tree protocol (RSTP or IEEE 802.1w) reduces the recovery time after a network breakdown. It also maintains a backward compatibility with the IEEE 802.1d which was the Spanning Tree implementation prior to RSTP. In certain configurations, the recovery time of RSTP can be reduced to less than 1 second.

RSTP also reduces the amount of flooding in the network by enhancing the way the Topology Change Notification (TCN) packet is generated.

Note

You can access the RSTP menu command only after the switch is operating in the RSTP mode.