The `Spanning Tree Protocol` uses the ordering relationship to build the spanning tree. Each switch listens to `BPDUs` on its ports. When `BPDU = <R,c,T,p>` is received on port `q`, the switch computes the port's `root priority vector`: `V[q] = <R,c+cost[q],T,p,q>` , where `cost[q]` is the cost associated to the port over which the `BPDU` was received. The switch stores in a table the last `root priority vector` received on each port. The switch then compares its own `identifier` with the smallest `root identifier` stored in this table. If its own `identifier` is smaller, then the switch is the root of the spanning tree and is, by definition, at a distance `0` of the root. The `BPDU` of the switch is then `<R,0,R,p>`, where `R` is the switch `identifier` and `p` will be set to the port number over which the `BPDU` is sent.