- A
Both switches suspend all vPC member ports to avoid loops.
Why wrong: Suspension occurs only if the peer-link fails and keepalive is lost.
- B
The primary switch reloads to prevent a split-brain scenario.
Why wrong: No reload occurs; keepalive failure alone doesn't trigger split-brain if peer-link is up.
- C
The vPC domain remains operational with both switches forwarding traffic.
Keepalive is not critical if peer-link is up; domain stays up.
- D
The secondary switch suspends its vPC member ports.
Why wrong: Secondary suspension occurs only when both peer-link and keepalive fail.
Question 392 of 1,000
350-601 Network Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of network. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An engineer configures vPC on a pair of Nexus switches. The vPC peer-keepalive link fails, but the vPC peer-link remains operational. What is the expected behavior?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The vPC domain remains operational with both switches forwarding traffic.
When the vPC peer-keepalive link fails but the peer-link remains up, the vPC domain continues to operate normally because the peer-link is used for control-plane synchronization and data-plane forwarding. The peer-keepalive is only a secondary heartbeat to detect a dual-active scenario when the peer-link is down. Since the peer-link is still functional, both switches can exchange vPC consistency parameters and forward traffic without risk of loops.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Both switches suspend all vPC member ports to avoid loops.
Why it's wrong here
Suspension occurs only if the peer-link fails and keepalive is lost.
- ✗
The primary switch reloads to prevent a split-brain scenario.
Why it's wrong here
No reload occurs; keepalive failure alone doesn't trigger split-brain if peer-link is up.
- ✓
The vPC domain remains operational with both switches forwarding traffic.
Why this is correct
Keepalive is not critical if peer-link is up; domain stays up.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The secondary switch suspends its vPC member ports.
Why it's wrong here
Secondary suspension occurs only when both peer-link and keepalive fail.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that the peer-keepalive is the primary mechanism for loop prevention, when in fact the peer-link is critical for control-plane sync and the peer-keepalive only acts as a backup heartbeat for dual-active detection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The vPC peer-keepalive uses a Layer 3 path (typically a management or dedicated interface) with UDP destination port 3200, while the peer-link carries Cisco Fabric Services (CFS) messages for configuration synchronization and STP convergence. In a real-world scenario, if the peer-keepalive fails due to a routing issue but the peer-link is intact, the vPC domain remains stable; however, if the peer-link also fails, a dual-active situation triggers the secondary switch to suspend its vPC member ports (unless 'auto-recovery' is configured).
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 350-601 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 350-601 question test?
Network — This question tests Network — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The vPC domain remains operational with both switches forwarding traffic. — When the vPC peer-keepalive link fails but the peer-link remains up, the vPC domain continues to operate normally because the peer-link is used for control-plane synchronization and data-plane forwarding. The peer-keepalive is only a secondary heartbeat to detect a dual-active scenario when the peer-link is down. Since the peer-link is still functional, both switches can exchange vPC consistency parameters and forward traffic without risk of loops.
What should I do if I get this 350-601 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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