This section provides information for Loop Guard in Monitor.

Loop guard is designed to handle loop problems on the edge of your network. This can occur when a port is connected to a Switch that is in a loop state. Loop state occurs as a result of human error. It happens when two ports on a switch are connected with the same cable. When a switch in loop state sends out broadcast messages the messages loop back to the switch and are re-broadcast again and again causing a broadcast storm.

If a switch (not in loop state) connects to a switch in loop state, then it will be affected by the switch in loop state in the following way:

The loop guard feature checks to see if a loop guard enabled port is connected to a switch in loop state. This is accomplished by periodically sending a probe packet and seeing if the packet returns on the same port. If this is the case, the Switch will shut down the port connected to the switch in loop state.

Use the Loop Guard screen to view Switch loop guard status. Click Monitor > Loop Guard.

Each field is described in the following table.