The answer is that the peer-keepalive destination must be on the management VRF. This is required because the VPC peer-keepalive link must be isolated from the data-plane and the peer-link to ensure it remains operational even if the primary VPC link fails; routing it through the management VRF guarantees this independence by using a separate routing table and interface. On the Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of VPC control-plane stability, often appearing in troubleshooting scenarios where the peer status is down due to a missing `vrf member management` statement under the peer-keepalive configuration. A common trap is assuming the peer-keepalive can use the default VRF or a data interface, but the management VRF is mandatory to prevent keepalive packets from being dropped when the peer-link goes down. Memory tip: think “keep the keepalive clean” — management VRF keeps the heartbeat separate from the data path.
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.
Exhibit
vlan 100
name Web
interface port-channel10
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allowed vlan 100-110
vpc domain 1
role priority 1000
peer-keepalive destination 192.168.1.2 source 192.168.1.1
peer-link port-channel10
Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer notices that the VPC peer status is down, and the peer-keepalive is not reachable. Based on the configuration, what is the likely issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The peer-keepalive destination must be on the management VRF.
The peer-keepalive link must be routed via the management VRF to ensure it remains independent of the data-plane and peer-link state. If the peer-keepalive destination is not in the management VRF, the keepalive packets may be dropped or unreachable, causing the VPC peer status to remain down. The configuration shown likely omits the 'vrf member management' under the peer-keepalive configuration, or the destination IP is not reachable through the management interface.
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.
✗
The peer-link port-channel10 has VLAN 100-110 allowed, but the peer-keepalive uses a separate VLAN.
Why it's wrong here
Peer-keepalive is sent via IP, not via VLANs on the peer-link; it uses a separate Layer 3 path.
✓
The peer-keepalive destination must be on the management VRF.
Why this is correct
Nexus requires the peer-keepalive to be sent via the management VRF, which is not specified here. The command should include 'vrf management'.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The VPC domain priority should be lower.
Why it's wrong here
Priority affects which switch becomes primary, but not the keepalive reachability.
✗
The peer-keepalive source and destination are swapped.
Why it's wrong here
The source and destination appear correct for a typical setup; swapping them would still allow reachability if both are configured.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the requirement that peer-keepalive must use the management VRF (or a dedicated VRF) and not rely on the peer-link or any data VLAN, leading candidates to incorrectly focus on VLAN allowed lists or priority values instead of the VRF configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The peer-keepalive mechanism uses UDP messages (default port 3200) sent every second to monitor liveness of the VPC peer. By default, these packets are sourced from the management VRF to avoid relying on the peer-link or any data-plane VLAN, ensuring that a failure of the peer-link does not disrupt keepalive detection. In real-world deployments, if the management interface is not configured or the destination IP is in a different VRF, the keepalive will fail, and the VPC domain will not form, leading to potential traffic black-holing if one switch reboots.
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 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 peer-keepalive destination must be on the management VRF. — The peer-keepalive link must be routed via the management VRF to ensure it remains independent of the data-plane and peer-link state. If the peer-keepalive destination is not in the management VRF, the keepalive packets may be dropped or unreachable, causing the VPC peer status to remain down. The configuration shown likely omits the 'vrf member management' under the peer-keepalive configuration, or the destination IP is not reachable through the management interface.
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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Question Discussion
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