Re: [Openvpn-users] STP and fully-connected mesh of bridges

[Jean-Pierre Schwickerath <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> In order to avoid loops, etc., we've enabled STP on our VPN nodes.
> 
> The upshot of all this is the following:  we now have a fully
> functioning, pretty rock-solid implementation.
> 
> Sadly we have a niggle (there's always one).  Because we're using STP,
> one node is always elected as the root node.  Lets's say node A is
> elected.  Now all communications from C -> B must go through A.  This
> is slower than the ideal situation, where comms from C -> B (and back)
> would go through the C -> B VPN link.
> 
> Our internet links are relatively slow (ADSL), with upload limits of
> about 256K.
>  Obviously avoiding indirectly routing packets if possible is
>  desirable.
> 
> We understand this is how STP works, but we'd like to put the question
> to the OpenVPN users community (and the developers, if they're
> listening in).  How would you go about making sure the /optimal/ route
> to the packet destination is always taken?

You can set a "path cost" for each link and if stp is indeed working it
will find out by its own, that directly going from A to B is cheaper
than first travelling to C. 

Check the brctl manpage:
brctl setpathcost <bridge> <port> <cost> sets the port cost of the port
<port> to <cost>. This is a dimensionless metric.

Jean-Pierre

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