Seamless migration from rapid spanning tree protocol to ethernet ring protection switching protocol

1. A method for migrating an Ethernet network from a rapid spanning tree protocol (RSTP) to Ethernet ring protection switching (ERPS), the method comprising:

disabling a port of a first leaf network element in a network implementing a RSTP, the RSTP having a spanning tree with a root network element coupled to the first leaf network element forming a first branch of the spanning tree;

migrating the first leaf network element by disabling the RSTP running on the first leaf network element and enabling an ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element;

migrating a second leaf network element after the first leaf network element by disabling the RSTP running on the second leaf network element and enabling the ERPS protocol on the second leaf network element, the second leaf network element forming a second branch of the spanning tree;

migrating a plurality of network elements after the first leaf network element and the second leaf network element by disabling the RSTP running on the plurality of network elements and enabling the ERPS protocol on the plurality of network elements, the plurality of network elements forming the first branch and the second branch of the spanning tree;

migrating the root network element after migrating the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, and the plurality of network elements by disabling the RSTP running on the root network element and enabling the ERPS protocol on the root network element; and

enabling the port of the first leaf network element after the disabling of the RSTP running on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements, and the root network element and the enabling of the ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements, and the root network element such that the ERPS protocol is enabled on all network elements comprising the Ethernet network and RSTP is disabled on all network elements comprising the Ethernet network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the port of the first leaf network element is the same port blocked by the RSTP.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising designating the first leaf network element as a ring protection link owner in charge of preventing a network loop.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network elements forming the first branch are migrated in order from the first leaf network element to the root network element.

5. A network element in an Ethernet network, comprising:

a processor;

non-transitory computer readable memory media accessible to the processor,

wherein the memory media store processor-executable instructions to migrate the Ethernet network from a rapid spanning tree protocol (RSTP) to Ethernet ring protection switching (ERPS), the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

disable a port of a first leaf network element in a network implementing a RSTP, the RSTP having a spanning tree with a root network element coupled to the first leaf network element forming a first branch of the spanning tree;

migrate the first leaf network element by disabling the RSTP running on the first leaf network element and enabling an ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element;

migrate a second leaf network element after the first leaf network element and the second leaf network element by disabling the RSTP running on the second leaf network element and enabling the ERPS protocol on the second leaf network element, the second leaf network element forming a second branch of the spanning tree;

migrate a plurality of network elements after the first leaf network element by disabling the RSTP running on the plurality of network elements and enabling the ERPS protocol on the plurality of network elements, the plurality of network elements forming the first branch and the second branch of the spanning tree;

migrate the root network element after migrating the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, and the plurality of network elements by disabling the RSTP running on the root network element and enabling the ERPS protocol on the root network element; and

enable the port of the first leaf network element after the disabling of the RSTP running on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements, and the root network element and the enabling of the ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements, and the root network element such that the ERPS protocol is enabled on all network elements comprising the Ethernet network and RSTP is disabled on all network elements comprising the Ethernet network.

6. The network element of claim 5 , wherein the port of the first leaf network element is the same port blocked by the RSTP.

7. The network element of claim 5 , further comprising instructions executable to designate the first leaf network element as a ring protection link owner in charge of preventing a network loop.

8. The network element of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of network elements forming the first branch are migrated in order from the first leaf network element to the root network element.

9. A method for migrating an Ethernet network from a rapid spanning tree protocol (RSTP) to Ethernet ring protection switching (ERPS), the method comprising:

disabling a port of a first leaf network element in a network implementing a RSTP, the RSTP having a spanning tree with a root network element coupled to the first leaf network element forming a first branch of the spanning tree;

disabling the RSTP on the first leaf network element;

disabling the RSTP on a second leaf network element after the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element forming a second branch of the spanning tree;

disabling RSTP on a plurality of network elements after the first leaf network element and the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements forming the first branch and the second branch of the spanning tree;

disabling the RSTP on the root network element after disabling the RSTP on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network, and the plurality of network elements;

enabling ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element;

enabling ERPS protocol on the second leaf network element after enabling ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element;

enabling ERPS protocol on the plurality of network elements after enabling ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element and the second leaf network element;

enabling ERPS protocol on the root network element after enabling ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, and the plurality of network elements;

enabling the port of the first leaf network element after the disabling the RSTP running on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements, and the root network element and the enabling ERPS protocol on the first leaf network element, the second leaf network element, the plurality of network elements, and the root network element such that the ERPS protocol is enabled on all network elements comprising the Ethernet network and RSTP is disabled on all network elements comprising the Ethernet network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the port of the first leaf network element is the same port blocked by the RSTP.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising designating the first leaf network element as a ring protection link owner in charge of preventing a network loop.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the RSTP is disabled on the plurality of network elements forming the first branch in order from the first leaf network element to the root network element.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein ERPS protocol is enabled on the plurality of network elements forming the first branch in order from the first leaf network element to the root network element.