1.Given this design and assuming all switch connections were in place, how many links would be placed in a blocking state by the STP algorithm?

2.Assuming the switches are configured with suitable protocols, what would determine which switch became the root bridge? How could this be changed to ensure that the main switch was root?

3.Looking at this design, what are its potential weaknesses and strengths?

4.Having re-evaluated the requirements of the occupants of the building and looking at the expected network traffic between the occupants of floor 2 and 3, she comes up with a revised design. She is also mindful of resilience.

What would Janice need to ensure about the configuration of the switches, given the revised network layout?

SCENARIO Janice, the IT and network manager, has been given the job of planning the Ethernet switch infrastructure for a new building that her company is moving into. The building has three floors with a reasonably even spread of network-connected devices across them. She initially decided on the layout shown in the following image, with two switches on each floor to give the necessary number of ports and some expansion capacity. The main core switch is connected to the building's router, which will provide access to the company's other sites and to the Internet. Floor 1 Floor 1 Switch 1GbE/100MbE Extension Switch 1GbE/100MbE Floor 2 HQ Router Main Switch 10/1GbE Floor 2 Switch Floor 3 Switch 1GbE/ 1GbE/100MbE 100MbE Extension Switch 1GbE/100MbE Revised switch topology design. Floor 3 Extension Switch 1GbE/100MbE Rectangular Snip