IEEE 802.

1s on Bridge Domains
The IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains feature enables Multiple Spanning Tree (MST) on Ethernet Virtual
Circuits (EVCs).

• Finding Feature Information, page 1

• Prerequisites for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains, page 1
• Restrictions for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains, page 2
• Information About IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains, page 2
• How to Configure IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains, page 4
• Configuration Examples for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains, page 5
• Additional References, page 7
• Feature Information for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains, page 8

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and
feature information, see Bug Search Tool and the release notes for your platform and software release. To
find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each
feature is supported, see the feature information table at the end of this module.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support.
To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Prerequisites for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

• MST must be configured.

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Restrictions for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

Restrictions for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

• Service instances on a port-channel are not supported on Cisco 7600 series routers.
• Service instances with “encapsulation default” are not supported.
• Service instances with “encapsulation untagged” without the dot1q option are not supported.
• Service instances with “encapsulation priority-tagged” are not supported.

Information About IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

EVC
An EVC as defined by the Metro Ethernet Forum is a port-level point-to-point or multipoint-to-multipoint
Layer 2 circuit. It is an end-to-end representation of a single instance of a Layer 2 service being offered by a
provider to a customer. An EVC embodies the different parameters on which the service is being offered. A
service instance is the instantiation of an EVC on a specified port.
Service instances are configured under a port channel. The traffic, carried by the service instance is load
balanced across member links. Service instances under a port channel are grouped and each group is associated
with one member link. Ingress traffic for a single EVC can arrive on any member of the bundle. All egress
traffic for a service instance uses only one of the member links. Load balancing is achieved by grouping
service instances and assigning them to a member link.
Ethernet virtual connection services (EVCS) uses the concepts of EVCs and service instances to provide Layer
2 switched Ethernet services. EVC status can be used by a Customer Edge (CE) device either to find an
alternative path in to the service provider network or in some cases, to fall back to a backup path over Ethernet
or over another alternative service such as Frame Relay or ATM.
For information about the Metro Ethernet Forum standards, see the Standards table in the Additional References
section.

MST and STP

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a Layer 2 link-management protocol that provides path redundancy while
preventing undesirable loops in the network. For a Layer 2 Ethernet network to function properly, only one
active path can exist between any two stations. STP operation is transparent to end stations, which cannot
detect whether they are connected to a single VLAN segment or to a switched LAN of multiple segments.
Cisco 7600 series routers use STP (the IEEE 802.1D bridge protocol) on all VLANs. By default, a single
instance of STP runs on each configured VLAN (provided you do not manually disable STP). You can enable
and disable STP on a per-VLAN basis.
MST maps multiple VLANs into a spanning tree instance, with each instance having a spanning tree topology
independent of other spanning tree instances. This architecture provides multiple forwarding paths for data
traffic, enables load balancing, and reduces the number of spanning tree instances required to support many
VLANs. MST improves the fault tolerance of the network because a failure in one instance (a forwarding
path) does not affect other instances.

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MST on Service Instances with Bridge Domains

To participate in MST instances, routers must be consistently configured with the same MST configurations.
A collection of interconnected routers that have the same MST configuration forms an MST region. For two
or more routers to be in the same MST region, they must have the same VLAN-to-instance mapping, the same
configuration revision number, and the same MST name.
The MST configuration controls the MST region to which each router belongs. The configuration includes
the name of the region, the revision number, and the MST VLAN-to-instance assignment map.
A region can have one or multiple members with the same MST configuration; each member must be capable
of processing Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) bridge protocol data units (BPDUs). There is no limit
to the number of MST regions in a network, but each region can support up to 65 spanning tree instances.
Instances can be identified by any number in the range from 0 to 4094. You can assign a VLAN to only one
spanning tree instance at a time.

MST on Service Instances with Bridge Domains

The IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains feature uses VLAN IDs for service-instance-to-MST-instance mapping.
EVC service instances with the same VLAN ID (the outer VLAN IDs in the QinQ case) as the one in a
particular MST instance will be mapped to that MST instance.
EVC service instances can have encapsulations with a single tag as well as double tags. In the case of double
tag encapsulations, the outer VLAN ID is used for the MST instance mapping, and the inner VLAN ID is
ignored.
Because MST requires bridge ports, you must configure a bridge domain for service instances to participate
in the MST instances. Additionally, because MST runs by sending untagged BPDUs on the wire, independently
of any VLAN, a native VLAN is required on the interface with EVC service instances. By default, switch
ports have a native VLAN. However, if the port is not a switch port, you must specify a native VLAN using
an EVC service instance.
Because a VLAN ID is required for EVC service-instance-to-MST-instance mapping, the following EVC
service instances without any VLAN IDs in the encapsulation are not supported:
• Untagged (encapsulation untagged)
• Priority-tagged (encapsulation priority-tagged)
• Default (encapsulation default)

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How to Configure IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

How to Configure IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

Configuring MST on EVC Bridge Domains

SUMMARY STEPS

1. enable
2. configure terminal
3. interface type slot / subslot / port [.subinterface-number]
4. service instance id ethernet [evc-id]
5. encapsulation dot1q vlan-id [native]
6. bridge-domain bridge-id [split-horizon [group group-id]]

DETAILED STEPS

Command or Action Purpose

Step 1 enable Enables privileged EXEC mode.
• Enter your password if prompted.
Example:
Device> enable

Step 2 configure terminal Enters global configuration mode.

Example:
Device# configure terminal

Step 3 interface type slot / subslot / port Specifies the interface to configure and enters interface
[.subinterface-number] configuration mode.

Example:
Device(config)# interface gigabitethernet 4/0/0

Step 4 service instance id ethernet [evc-id] Creates a service instance (an instance of an Ethernet
virtual circuit [ EVC]) on an interface and enters service
Example: instance configuration mode.

Device(config-if)# service instance 101 ethernet

Step 5 encapsulation dot1q vlan-id [native] Defines the matching criteria to be used in order to map
ingress dot1q frames on an interface to the appropriate
Example: service instance.

Device(config-if-srv)# encapsulation dot1q 13

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Configuration Examples for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

Command or Action Purpose

Step 6 bridge-domain bridge-id [split-horizon [group Binds the service instance to a bridge domain instance.
group-id]]

Example:
Device(config-if-srv)# bridge-domain 12

Troubleshooting Tips
The following commands can be used to troubleshoot MST configurations on EVC bridge domains.
• debug ethernet l2ctrl
• debug l2ctrl

Configuration Examples for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

Example: Configuring MST on EVC Bridge Domains

In the following example, the two interfaces participate in MST instance 0, the default instance to which all
VLANs are mapped:

Device# enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# interface gigabitethernet 4/0/0
Device(config-if)# service instance 1 ethernet
Device(config-if-srv)# encapsulation dot1q 2
Device(config-if-srv)# bridge-domain 100
Device(config-if-srv)# exit
Device(config-if)# exit
Device(config)# interface gigabitethernet 4/0/3
Device(config-if)# service instance 1 ethernet
Device(config-if-srv)# encapsulation dot1q 2
Device(config-if-srv)# bridge-domain 100
Device(config-if-srv)# end
Issue the following command to verify the configuration:

Device# show spanning-tree vlan 2

MST0
Spanning tree enabled protocol mstp
Root ID Priority 32768
Address 0009.e91a.bc40
This bridge is the root
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Bridge ID Priority 32768 (priority 32768 sys-id-ext 0)
Address 0009.e91a.bc40
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Interface Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type
------------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------

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Example: Configuring MST on EVC Bridge Domains

Gi4/0/0 Desg FWD 20000 128.1537 P2p

Gi4/0/3 Back BLK 20000 128.1540 P2p
In the following example, Gigabit Ethernet interface 4/0/0 and Gigabit Ethernet interface 4/0/3 are connected
back to back. Each has a service instance attached to it. The service instance on both interfaces has an
encapsulation VLAN ID of 2. Changing the VLAN ID from 2 to 8 in the encapsulation directive for the service
instance on interface gi4/0/0 stops the Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP) from running in the MST
instance to which the old VLAN is mapped and starts the MSTP in the MST instance to which the new VLAN
is mapped:

Device(config-if)# interface gigabitethernet 4/0/0

Device(config-if)# service instance 1 ethernet
Device(config-if-srv)# encapsulation dot1q 8
Device(config-if-srv)# end
Use the show spanning-tree vlan command to verify the configuration, as shown in the following two
examples.

Device# show spanning-tree vlan 2

MST1
Spanning tree enabled protocol mstp
Root ID Priority 32769
Address 0009.e91a.bc40
This bridge is the root
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Bridge ID Priority 32769 (priority 32768 sys-id-ext 1)
Address 0009.e91a.bc40
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Interface Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type
------------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Gi4/0/3 Desg FWD 20000 128.1540 P2p

Device# show spanning-tree vlan 8

MST2
Spanning tree enabled protocol mstp
Root ID Priority 32770
Address 0009.e91a.bc40
This bridge is the root
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Bridge ID Priority 32770 (priority 32768 sys-id-ext 2)
Address 0009.e91a.bc40
Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Interface Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type
------------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Gi4/0/0 Desg FWD 20000 128.1537 P2p
In the following example, Gigabit Ethernet interface 4/0/3 with a service instance that has an outer encapsulation
VLAN ID of 2 and a bridge domain of 100 receives a new service:

Device# enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# interface gigabitethernet 4/0/3
Device((config-if)# service instance 2 ethernet
Device((config-if-srv)# encapsulation dot1q 2 second-dot1q 100
Device((config-if-srv)# bridge-domain 200
Now two service instances are configured on Gigabit Ethernet interface4/0/3 and both of them have the same
outer VLAN 2:

interface GigabitEthernet4/0/3
no ip address
service instance 1 ethernet
encapsulation dot1q 2
bridge-domain 100
!
service instance 2 ethernet

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Additional References

encapsulation dot1q 2 second-dot1q 100

bridge-domain 200
The preceding configuration does not affect the MSTP operation on the interface; there is no state change for
Gigabit Ethernet interface gi4/0/3 in the MST instance to which it belongs.
Use theshow spanning-tree mst command to display the information about the Multiple Spanning Tree
(MST) protocol, as shown below.

Device# show spanning-tree mst 1

##### MST1 vlans mapped: 2

Bridge address 0009.e91a.bc40 priority 32769 (32768 sysid 1)
Root this switch for MST1
Interface Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type
---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------
Gi4/0/3 Desg FWD 20000 128.1540 P2p

Additional References
Related Documents

Related Topic Document Title

Carrier Ethernet commands: complete command Cisco IOS Carrier Ethernet Command Reference
syntax, command mode, command history, defaults,
usage guidelines, and examples

Cisco IOS commands: master list of commands with Cisco IOS Master Command List, All Releases
complete command syntax, command mode,
command history, defaults, usage guidelines, and
examples

Standards

Standard Title
MEF 6.1 Metro Ethernet Services Definitions Phase 2 (PDF
6/08)

MEF 10.1 Ethernet Services Attributes Phase 2 (PDF 10/06)

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Feature Information for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

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Feature Information for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This
table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release
train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support.
To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1: Feature Information for IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains

Feature Name Releases Feature Information

IEEE 802.1s on Bridge Domains 12.2(33)SRD The IEEE 802.1s on Bridge
Domains feature enables MST on
12.2(50)SY
EVC interfaces.
The following commands were
introduced or modified:
bridge-domain (service instance),
debug ethernet l2ctrl, debug
l2ctrl.

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