Terminology; Vpc Terminology; Vpc Domain - Cisco Nexus 3548 Configuration Manual

Terminology

Note We recommend that you configure the vPC peer-link EtherChannels as trunks.
The vPC domain includes both vPC peer devices, the vPC peer-keepalive link, the vPC peer link, and all of
the EtherChannels in the vPC domain connected to the downstream device. You can have only one vPC
domain ID on each vPC peer device.
Note Always attach all vPC devices using EtherChannels to both vPC peer devices.
A vPC provides the following benefits:
• Allows a single device to use an EtherChannel across two upstream devices
• Eliminates Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) blocked ports
• Provides a loop-free topology
• Uses all available uplink bandwidth
• Provides fast convergence if either the link or a switch fails
• Provides link-level resiliency
• Assures high availability
Terminology

vPC Terminology

The terminology used in vPCs is as follows:
• vPC—combined EtherChannel between the vPC peer devices and the downstream device.
• vPC peer device—One of a pair of devices that are connected with the special EtherChannel known as
• vPC peer link—link used to synchronize states between the vPC peer devices.
• vPC member port—Interfaces that belong to the vPCs.
• vPC domain—domain that includes both vPC peer devices, the vPC peer-keepalive link, and all of the
• vPC peer-keepalive link—The peer-keepalive link monitors the vitality of a vPC peer Cisco Nexus device.

vPC Domain

To create a vPC domain, you must first create a vPC domain ID on each vPC peer switch using a number
from 1 to 1000. This ID must be the same on a set of vPC peer devices.
Cisco Nexus 3548 Switch NX-OS Interfaces Configuration Guide, Release 9x
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the vPC peer link.
port channels in the vPC connected to the downstream devices. It is also associated to the configuration
mode that you must use to assign vPC global parameters. The vPC domain ID must be the same on both
switches.
The peer-keepalive link sends configurable, periodic keepalive messages between vPC peer devices.
No data or synchronization traffic moves over the vPC peer-keepalive link; the only traffic on this link
is a message that indicates that the originating switch is operating and running vPCs.
Configuring Virtual Port Channels