Which issue can Multi-Service Transport Protocol (MSTP) help resolve in a single spanning tree network?

Multi-Service Transport Protocol (MSTP) is designed to enhance the traditional spanning tree protocol by allowing multiple VLANs to be grouped under a single spanning tree instance. One of the primary issues that MSTP addresses in a single spanning tree network is the inability to effectively load balance traffic.

In a traditional spanning tree setup, only one forwarding path exists for each VLAN, meaning that all traffic for that VLAN will flow through the same set of links, even if there are other available paths. This creates inefficiencies and can lead to congestion, as all traffic is channeled through a single route without the benefit of distributing it across multiple links.

MSTP resolves this problem by enabling the configuration of multiple spanning trees, which allows different VLANs to utilize different paths. This means that traffic can be more evenly distributed across the network, leading to improved overall performance and reduced congestion on any single link. By facilitating this load balancing across multiple VLANs, MSTP optimizes the use of available bandwidth and enhances the functionality of the network.

In contrast, the other options do not capture the core functionality that MSTP aims to address:

• Limiting the number of VLANs is not an issue that MSTP is designed to resolve, as it