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You can control path redundancy for VLANs by implementing the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). A network may include multiple instances of STP. The collection of ports in one spanning tree instance is called a spanning tree group.
As defined in the IEEE 802.1D standard, the Spanning Tree Protocol detects and eliminates logical loops in a bridged or switched network. When multiple paths exist, the spanning tree algorithm configures the network so that a bridge or switch uses only the most efficient path. If that path fails, the protocol automatically reconfigures the network to make another path become active, thus sustaining network operations.