Comparison of two LAN bridge approaches

The authors review the differences between two media access control (MAC) bridge algorithms for local area networks (LANs) currently being specified by the IEEE 802 Standards Committee. They are the IEEE 802.5 Source Routing Scheme and the IEEE 802.1 Transparent Spanning Tree Scheme. A brief summary of the two schemes, along with the relevant technical points that cause differences in features or performance, is included. It is concluded that transparent spanning tree architecture appears to offer the best solution for bridging local area networks with regard to such factors as robustness, efficiency, stability, determinism, and simplicity.<
>