Dell PowerConnect 28xx Systems User Guide 15• Higher bandwidth connections• Improved bandwidth granularity• High bandwidth server connectivityA LAG is composed of ports with the same speed set to full-duplex operation.DHCP ServerDynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a method of managing network parameter assignment from asingle DHCP server. The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) automates the assignment ofIP addresses, subnet masks, default gateway, and other IP parameters.BootP and DHCP ClientsDHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) enables additional setup parameters to be received froma network server upon system startup. DHCP service is an on-going process. DHCP is an extension toBootP.The BootP client is operational if there is a corrupted or invalid software image. The BootP client thencontinuously attempts to find a BootP server, by sending BootP requests to all ports on the defaultVLAN, until a BootP server replies. The information replied is then used to provide the switch systemwith a TFTP server IP address and a download file name. The switch can then configure these values tothe TFTP client and try to download a valid runtime image.Spanning Tree Protocol FeaturesSpanning Tree Protocol (STP)802.1d Spanning tree is a standard Layer 2 switch requirement that allows bridges to automaticallyprevent and resolve L2 forwarding loops. Switches exchange configuration messages using specificallyformatted frames and selectively enable and disable forwarding on ports.Fast LinkSTP can take up to 30-60 seconds to converge. During this time, STP detects possible loops, allowingtime for status changes to propagate and for relevant devices to respond. 30-60 seconds is considered toolong of a response time for many applications. The Fast Link option bypasses this delay, and can be usedin network topologies where forwarding loops do not occur.IEEE 802.1w Rapid Spanning TreeSpanning Tree can take 30-60 seconds for each host to decide whether its ports are actively forwardingtraffic. Rapid Spanning Tree (RSTP) detects uses of network topologies to enable faster convergence,without creating forwarding loops.STP Root GuardRoot guard restricts the interface from functioning as the root port for the switch
