It means that vPC peer link does not typically forward data packets; it is used specifically for switch
management traffic and occasionally for the data packets from failed network ports. This behavior of
vPC enables the solution to scale because the bandwidth requirement for the vPC peer link is not
directly related to the total bandwidth of all vPC ports.
vPC performs loop avoidance at the data plane by implementing forwarding rules in the hardware.
One of the most important forwarding rules for vPC is that a packet that enters the vPC peer switch
via the vPC member port, and then goes to other peer switches via peer link, is not allowed to exit the
switch on the vPC member port. This packet can exit on any other type of port, such as an L3 port or
an orphan port. This rule prevents the packets that are received on a vPC from being flooded back
onto the same vPC by the other peer switch. The vPC loop avoidance rule is depicted in