Quick Answer
The answer is the ingress VTEP that has the target host’s MAC address in its local table. This is correct because VXLAN EVPN ARP suppression relies on the ingress VTEP maintaining a local ARP/ND cache, populated dynamically by EVPN Type-2 routes (MAC/IP advertisement routes). When a broadcast ARP request arrives, the ingress VTEP checks its cache for the target IP; if found, it replies directly on behalf of the target host, suppressing the broadcast and preventing unnecessary flooding across the fabric. On the Cisco SPCOR 350-501 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how EVPN control plane optimizes data plane behavior—a common trap is confusing the egress VTEP or the route reflector as the replying device. Remember: the ingress VTEP is the “gatekeeper” that answers from its local cache, so think “ingress inspects, egress expects.” A helpful memory tip is “ARP stops at the first VTEP hop.”
This 350-501 practice question tests your understanding of networking. 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 deployment, a host sends a broadcast ARP request. Which component in the fabric is responsible for replying on behalf of the target host to reduce flooding?
The VTEP that receives the broadcast
Why wrong: It would flood unless ARP suppression is configured.
The spine switch
Why wrong: Spine switches do not handle ARP replies.
The VTEP that has the target host's MAC address in its local table (ARP suppression)
ARP suppression allows VTEP to proxy-reply.
The default gateway (anycast IP)
Why wrong: Gateway role is for routing, not ARP suppression.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The VTEP that has the target host's MAC address in its local table (ARP suppression)
In VXLAN EVPN, ARP suppression is a feature implemented on the ingress VTEP (the VTEP that receives the broadcast ARP request). The ingress VTEP maintains a local ARP/ND cache populated via EVPN Type-2 routes (MAC/IP advertisement routes). When a broadcast ARP request arrives, the ingress VTEP checks its local cache for the target IP; if found, it replies directly on behalf of the target host, suppressing the broadcast and preventing unnecessary flooding across the fabric. Option C correctly identifies this VTEP as the component responsible for the reply.
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.
The VTEP that receives the broadcast
Why it's wrong here
It would flood unless ARP suppression is configured.
The spine switch
Why it's wrong here
Spine switches do not handle ARP replies.
The VTEP that has the target host's MAC address in its local table (ARP suppression)
Why this is correct
ARP suppression allows VTEP to proxy-reply.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The default gateway (anycast IP)
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that the spine switch or the default gateway handles ARP suppression, when in fact it is the ingress VTEP that performs this function using its locally cached EVPN-learned MAC/IP entries.
Detailed technical explanation
ARP suppression relies on the EVPN control plane: each VTEP advertises its locally learned host MAC/IP pairs via BGP EVPN Type-2 routes, which are imported by all other VTEPs in the same VNI. The ingress VTEP caches these entries and uses them to reply to ARP requests, reducing broadcast traffic. In large-scale fabrics, this significantly cuts down on BUM (Broadcast, Unknown Unicast, Multicast) traffic; however, if a host moves or its ARP cache ages out, the VTEP must fall back to flooding the ARP request to the remote VTEPs, which then perform local proxy ARP if they have the target in their own cache.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
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FAQ
Networking — This question tests Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The VTEP that has the target host's MAC address in its local table (ARP suppression) — In VXLAN EVPN, ARP suppression is a feature implemented on the ingress VTEP (the VTEP that receives the broadcast ARP request). The ingress VTEP maintains a local ARP/ND cache populated via EVPN Type-2 routes (MAC/IP advertisement routes). When a broadcast ARP request arrives, the ingress VTEP checks its local cache for the target IP; if found, it replies directly on behalf of the target host, suppressing the broadcast and preventing unnecessary flooding across the fabric. Option C correctly identifies this VTEP as the component responsible for the reply.
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 25, 2026
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