350-601 Practice Question: An engineer is configuring a pair of Nexus 9000…
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of 350-601 exam topics. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 is configuring a pair of Nexus 9000 switches as vPC peers. The vPC peer keepalive link is established. Which statement about the vPC peer keepalive is true?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It is a Layer 3 keepalive using the management or a dedicated interface to ensure peer reachability.
The vPC peer keepalive monitors liveness of the peer switch; it is recommended to use a separate Layer 3 link (out-of-band) to avoid dependency on the peer-link.
Key principle: A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
It carries data traffic between vPC peers.
Why it's wrong here
Peer keepalive does not carry data; data uses peer-link.
✗
It is used to synchronize MAC address tables between peers.
Why it's wrong here
MAC synchronization happens over the peer-link, not keepalive.
✓
It is a Layer 3 keepalive using the management or a dedicated interface to ensure peer reachability.
Why this is correct
Correct: peer keepalive is a Layer 3 heartbeat, often over mgmt0 or dedicated interface.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
✗
It provides a Layer 3 keepalive to detect peer failure and should be on a separate VLAN.
Why it's wrong here
Peer keepalive should be on a separate Layer 3 link, not a VLAN.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
→Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
→Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
→Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
Key takeaway
A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 350-601 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It is a Layer 3 keepalive using the management or a dedicated interface to ensure peer reachability. — The vPC peer keepalive monitors liveness of the peer switch; it is recommended to use a separate Layer 3 link (out-of-band) to avoid dependency on the peer-link.
What should I do if I get this 350-601 question wrong?
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 350-601 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
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