The Aviat WTM switch must have Root Guard enabled on all switch ports connecting to access layer switches and hosts.

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) does not provide any means for the network administrator to securely enforce the topology of the switched network. Any switch can be the root bridge in a network. However, a more optimal forwarding topology places the root bridge at a specific predetermined location. With the standard STP, any bridge in the network with a lower bridge ID takes the role of the root bridge. The administrator cannot enforce the position of the root bridge but can set the root bridge priority to 0 in an effort to secure the root bridge position.

The root guard feature provides a way to enforce the root bridge placement in the network. If the bridge receives superior STP Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) on a root guard-enabled port, root guard moves this port to a root-inconsistent STP state and no traffic can be forwarded across this port while it is in this state. To enforce the position of the root bridge it is imperative that root guard is enabled on all ports where the root bridge should never appear.

Verify the Aviat WTM has Root Guard enabled on all switch ports connecting to access layer switches and hosts with the following steps:

1. Log on to the Web UI using an admin account. 2. Using the Web UI, navigate to Switching and Routing >> Spanning Tree. 3. Review the Interfaces table and verify "Guard Root" is selected for each port connecting to an access layer switch or host.

If Guard Root is not selected for all ports connecting to access layer switches and hosts, this is a finding.

Configure the Aviat WTM to enable Root Guard on all switch ports connecting to access layer switches and hosts with the following steps:

1. Log on to the Web UI using an admin account. 2. Using the Web UI, navigate to Switching and Routing >> Spanning Tree. 3. In the Interfaces table, select "Guard Root" for each port connecting to an access layer switch or host. 4. Click "Commit".