SEAMLESS MIGRATION FROM RAPID SPANNING TREE PROTOCOL TO ETHERNET RING PROTECTION SWITCHING PROTOCOL

Methods and systems are provided for migrating loop-breaking protocols in an Ethernet network. The method includes disabling a port of a first leaf network element in a network implementing a rapid spanning tree protocol (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 and enabling an Ethernet ring protection switching (ERPS) protocol on the first leaf network element; migrating the root network element after the first leaf network element by disabling the RSTP and enabling the ERPS protocol on the root network element; and enabling the port of the first leaf network element after migrating the first leaf network element and the root network element.