New Training: Explain Virtual Port-Channels
In this 7-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Jeff Kish explores virtual port-channel technology, how it’s used in the data center, and the topologies we can build with them. Watch this new Cisco training.
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This training includes:
- 7 videos
- 51 minutes of training
You’ll learn these topics in this skill:
- Intro
- Standard Port-Channels
- Introducing VPCs
- VPC Architecture and Traffic Flow
- VPC and STP
- VPC Topologies
- Review and Quiz
What is a Virtual Port-Channel (vPC)?
A Virtual Port-Channel (vPC) is a Cisco-proprietary protocol that functions on the company's Nexus switches. Known also as a multi-chassis EtherChannel (MEC), a vPC lets you configure a Port-Channel across multiple switches.
A vPC is similar in concept to the Virtual Switch System (VSS) that operates on Cisco's Catalyst chasses. The difference between the two is that while a VSS establishes a single logical switch, along with a single control plane for both management and configuration, with a vPC, you must configure and manage each switch independently. As a consequence of this, you must create and allow your virtual LANs (VLANs) on both switches.
A vPC consists of the following components:
- A vPC Domain
- A vPC Peer Switch
- vPC Member Ports
- A vPC Peer-Keepalive Link
- A vPC Peer Link
- An Orphan Port
Once you've set up a vPC, you can check its status by issuing the following command: show vpc brief.
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