Which two statements describe STP and RSTP interoperability?

The understanding of STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) and RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) interoperability is crucial in network design and troubleshooting. When considering how these two protocols interact, one significant point is that RSTP is designed with backward compatibility to work within a network of legacy STP devices.

Focusing on the correct statement, RSTP indeed accepts STP BPDUs (Bridge Protocol Data Units) and utilizes them to maintain network topology information. However, the RSTP protocol also generates its own BPDUs and does not forward STP BPDUs, which can lead to confusion in a mixed environment.

When a device running STP encounters BPDUs from RSTP, it is not equipped to process those correctly, leading to the conclusion that STP would discard any RSTP BPDUs it receives. This behavior ensures that the older STP devices do not misinterpret the faster convergence capable of RSTP, maintaining the stability of the network.

To summarize, while RSTP can interpret STP messages, the mechanisms by which STP manages and responds to RSTP messages are limited to discarding them. This distinct behavior highlights the nuances in how these protocols operate in environments where both