Rep Segment Vs STP

[Vencola]

 Hello everyone, I want to choose between rep and STP to use on our network.

- I have some switches connected as a ring just like this figure. 

- Question 1: it better to use rep segment or to just use the usual STP, I know that rep provide a better convergence time, but what about redundancy and flexibility. I mean if the rep is better why doesn't each use just use it and abandon the STP

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Question2: I want to have a more redundant link between switch 4 and 5, can I have 1 rep link and 1 STP link between these 2 switches? 

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Question 3: can I have switches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 connected as rep and switches A, B, C connected as STP as on the above picture. 

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Thanks everyone. 

[DanielP211 · Accepted solution]

Hello!

REP is a variation on the protocol EPS from extreme, which Cisco developed to counter extreme. Its really not used much in the field, I used it a few times when working with other vendors that didn't support STP (RSTP).

If you have only cisco products I would go with RSTP, as long as the "rings" don't get to big (too many switches). 

As for your questions:
- Q1 - Convergence is better in REP but STP is used a lot more often, I also noticed that you do not have a lot of options in REP, and that it was added to cisco not so long ago
- Q2 - I wouldn't mix one and another (you could create loops), I would also recommend against building large rings, if you have no other option OK, but in another case I would go with routed rings (estabilish underlay with OSPF and build MPLS on top)
- Q3 - As I mentioned before its not best to mix them to prevent loops.

BR

[MHM Cisco World]

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/lan-switching/ethernet/116384-technote-rep-00.html 
check this 

Thanks A Lot
MHM