Quick Answer
The answer is ECMP. In a VXLAN EVPN multi-tier design, Equal-Cost Multipath (ECMP) leverages the underlying IP fabric’s routing to allow leaf switches to load-balance VXLAN-encapsulated traffic across multiple equal-cost spine paths, ensuring that traffic between leaf switches takes the most direct route without hair-pinning through a single spine. Without ECMP, a spine could become a forced relay point, creating suboptimal forwarding and unnecessary latency. On the Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how VXLAN EVPN overlays interact with the underlay’s routing protocols—typically OSPF or IS-IS—to achieve optimal path selection. A common trap is confusing ECMP with BGP multipath or assuming that VXLAN itself handles load balancing; remember that ECMP operates at the underlay IP layer, not the overlay. Memory tip: “ECMP = Every spine is a direct path, no hair-pin.”
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of network. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
In a VXLAN EVPN multi-tier design, which feature ensures traffic between leaf switches takes the optimal path without hair-pinning through a spine?
Anycast gateway
Why wrong: Anycast gateway provides default gateway, not optimal leaf-to-leaf path.
Type-2 routes
Why wrong: Type-2 routes advertise MAC/IP but do not affect path selection.
ECMP
ECMP enables load distribution across multiple spines, avoiding hair-pinning.
ARP suppression
Why wrong: ARP suppression reduces broadcast but does not optimize forwarding.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
ECMP
C is correct because Equal-Cost Multipath (ECMP) in a VXLAN EVPN multi-tier design allows leaf switches to load-balance traffic across multiple equal-cost spine paths, ensuring that traffic between leaf switches takes the most direct route without being forced to hair-pin through a spine. ECMP leverages the underlying IP fabric's routing to forward VXLAN-encapsulated packets over any available spine, avoiding suboptimal forwarding that would occur if a single spine were used as a relay.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Anycast gateway
Why it's wrong here
Anycast gateway provides default gateway, not optimal leaf-to-leaf path.
Type-2 routes
Why it's wrong here
Type-2 routes advertise MAC/IP but do not affect path selection.
ECMP
Why this is correct
ECMP enables load distribution across multiple spines, avoiding hair-pinning.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
ARP suppression
Why it's wrong here
ARP suppression reduces broadcast but does not optimize forwarding.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that Anycast Gateway or ARP suppression directly influences inter-leaf forwarding paths, when in fact ECMP is the mechanism that enables optimal multi-path routing in the underlay to avoid hair-pinning.
Detailed technical explanation
In a VXLAN EVPN fabric, ECMP relies on the underlay routing protocol (e.g., OSPF or IS-IS) to compute multiple equal-cost paths to the destination VTEP IP address, and the VXLAN packet's outer header (including the UDP source port derived from the inner flow) is used for load-balancing across those paths. This ensures that traffic from Leaf1 to Leaf2 can traverse any spine without requiring a centralized forwarding decision, effectively eliminating hair-pinning. In real-world deployments, misconfigured ECMP hashing (e.g., using only the outer IP addresses) can lead to polarization, but proper configuration with entropy-based hashing (e.g., using the VXLAN UDP source port) maintains optimal load distribution.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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FAQ
Network — This question tests Network — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: ECMP — C is correct because Equal-Cost Multipath (ECMP) in a VXLAN EVPN multi-tier design allows leaf switches to load-balance traffic across multiple equal-cost spine paths, ensuring that traffic between leaf switches takes the most direct route without being forced to hair-pin through a spine. ECMP leverages the underlying IP fabric's routing to forward VXLAN-encapsulated packets over any available spine, avoiding suboptimal forwarding that would occur if a single spine were used as a relay.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This 350-601 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-601 exam.
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