1. A method comprising: at a network device configured to perform a bridging function, examining a message comprising a first bridge media access control (MAC) address of a current root bridge; if the first bridge MAC addresses and a second bridge MAC address currently held by a receiving port of the network device are not the same, then comparing a current priority value to a previous priority value of the current root bridge; if the current priority value is inferior to the previous priority value, then determining if the port receiving the message is a qualified root port; and if the port is a qualified root port, then returning a superior designated message to permit each bridge to execute a rapid spanning tree calculation for use in a dynamic configuration change.