350-601 Network Practice Question
Which VPC component is used to send Layer 2 control plane traffic between peer switches?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between the peer-link (which carries Layer 2 control plane traffic) and the peer-keepalive link (which only carries Layer 3 heartbeats), leading candidates to mistakenly select the peer-keepalive option.
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
✓
VPC peer-link
The VPC peer-link is the special port channel that carries Layer 2 control plane traffic (such as BPDUs, HSRP hellos, and IGMP queries) between the two VPC peer switches. It ensures that both peers have a consistent view of the Layer 2 topology and can synchronize state for protocols like STP and vPC. Without the peer-link, control plane traffic would not be exchanged, breaking the VPC domain's ability to operate as a single logical switch.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
VPC consistency check
Why it's wrong here
Consistency checks ensure configuration compatibility, but are not a physical component.
- ✗
VPC peer keepalive
Why it's wrong here
The keepalive link is a Layer 3 link for heartbeat monitoring, not for control traffic.
- ✗
VPC member port
Why it's wrong here
Member ports are access or trunk ports that belong to the VPC.
- ✓
VPC peer-link
Why this is correct
The peer-link is a Layer 2 port-channel that carries control and data traffic between peers.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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