Rapid PVST+ operation: root bridge selection, port roles, port states, PortFast, and basic protections

By the end you’ll be able to

• Explain the purpose of Rapid PVST+ in preventing Layer 2 switching loops while maintaining one spanning-tree instance per VLAN.
• Determine root bridge selection based on spanning-tree bridge ID values and evaluate how priority influences the election result.
• Differentiate Rapid PVST+ port roles, including root, designated, alternate, and disabled, and relate them to loop-free forwarding paths.