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Do different models need to be on the same version?

fred2k3
Level 1
Level 1

I have a network with a 3650 backbone switch, and 5 * 2960 clients switches.

 

I was just reading an article about STP, and it mentioned it's important that all switches in the network are on the same vesrion.

 

All the 2960s are running 15.2(2)E7 but the backbone switch is running 16.06.03 - as a general rule, is this likely to cause problems?

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Martin L
VIP
VIP

 

Yes, it is recommend that all switches in the network are on the same version of STP. Rapid STP mode (802.1w) is recommended rather than default STP (802.1d).  if you have a lot of vlans, you can change to MST (s).  If you add new switch with STP to already running Rapid STP, it will not break anything, it works. But I would change STP to RSTP soon.

All Cisco switches support those versions. So, IOS 15 or XE 16 does not matter. Cisco does define STP as per-vlan STP.   Your 3650 backbone switch should be The Root switch for your STP topology.  

 

Regards, ML
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4 Replies 4

Martin L
VIP
VIP

 

Yes, it is recommend that all switches in the network are on the same version of STP. Rapid STP mode (802.1w) is recommended rather than default STP (802.1d).  if you have a lot of vlans, you can change to MST (s).  If you add new switch with STP to already running Rapid STP, it will not break anything, it works. But I would change STP to RSTP soon.

All Cisco switches support those versions. So, IOS 15 or XE 16 does not matter. Cisco does define STP as per-vlan STP.   Your 3650 backbone switch should be The Root switch for your STP topology.  

 

Regards, ML
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Many thanks for all the responses, much appreciated.

Joseph W. Doherty
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
As a general rule, as long as the IOS on the Cisco device supports the same "flavor" of STP, all devices running that "flavor" should be compatible regardless of the IOS version (or Cisco device). Do note, though, that per-VLAN STP is the variant generally supported by Cisco devices, whereas other vendors often only support one STP running for all their VLANs. (This is one of the reasons for MST, which generally, is compatible between vendors.)

balaji.bandi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

as per the original post my understanding :

 

you are asking the IOS version should be the same? not necessarily.

But the STP version should be the same .

 

BB

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