STP is used on Layer2 network to avoid the broadcast storm due to ARP request on

the network. But STP blocks certain links to avoid loops and hence full bandwidth
cannot be utilized.
This limitation of STP is overcome by Port Channel. In PC, we bundle multiple
physical uplinks and represent it as 1 single link for the STP network. This allows
the user to utilize all the available bandwidth on the network.
PC provides link level redundancy, But no device level redundancy. If the upstream
parent switch goes down, entire PC will be down. To overcome this limitation of PC,
the concept of vPC was introduced by Cisco.
vPC is a technology where 2 switches appear as one logical switch with their own
control planes running providing device level redundancy.
This technology is supported on Nexus 9K,7K,5k and 3K.
Terminologies in vPC:
vPC domain is the logical entity consisting of a pair of Nexus switches and
associated components which will make both switches act as 1 single device for
downstream device.
One domain cannot have more than 2 vpc peer switches. Every domain will have its
own peerlink and peer keepalive.
vPC peers are the pair of Nexus switches participating in the vpc domain. Nexus
3k,5k,7k and 9k can act as vpc peer for forming the vpc domain. for vpc peers to
form vpc, they should be same model and should have the same NX-OS version running
on them.
vPC peer-link is a L2 trunk port-channel which is used to forward the traffic of
vPC control plane. As a best practice, vpc data plane traffic should not be sent on
vpc peer-link. It will forward the traffic of BUM and non-vpc data plane. The ports
of peer-link should be a min of 10gb and for redundancy it is recommended to have
at least 2 links in a port-channel.
vpc peer-keeplive is a L3 link between the vpc peers to send the vpc hello packets.
It can be physical or logical interface as well. vPC sends hello packets every 1
sec, holdown timer is 3 sec and timeout is 5 sec. No data plane traffic is
forwarded over vpc peer-keepalive.
CFSoE - Cisco Fabric Services over Ethernet is the protocol that runs over vpc
peer-link for synchronization of vpc control plane, MAC address and IGMP sync. It
is by default enabled once we establish the vpc peerlink connectivity.
Orphan port is a non vpc member port, forwarding vpc vlan traffic, connected to one
of the vpc peer is known as an orphan port and the device connected to it is known
as an orphan device.
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