A computer- implemented method for configuring a virtual port channel, VPC, domain (506, 606) comprising, at a first switch: determining that the first switch (504A, 604A) and a second switch (504B, 604B) are connected in a pair of switch peers in the VPC domain via a shared VPC-peerlink (512, 612); determining that the first switch is in a primary role; determining a unique identifier for the first switch, a VPC portchannel number for the first switch, and an orphan port number for the first switch, wherein orphan ports are ports of switches used to connect with single-attached hosts (616A, 616B); receiving, from the second switch via the VPC-peerlink, a unique identifier for the second switch, a VPC portchannel number for the second switch, and an orphan port number for the second switch; associating the VPC portchannel number for the second switch and the VPC portchannel number for the first switch with a unified VPC portchannel number; creating a first unique orphan port number for the first switch and a second unique orphan port number for the second switch; sending, to a controller along with a request for port configuration data, the unified VPC portchannel number and the first and second unique orphan port numbers; receiving, from the controller, port configuration data for the unified VPC portchannel, the orphan port of the first switch, and the orphan port of the second switch; configuring the orphan port of the first switch with the port configuration data; configuring the VPC portchannel for the first switch that is associated with the unified VPC portchannel with the port configuration data for the unified VPC portchannel; and transmitting, to the second switch, the port configuration data for the unified VPC portchannel to associate with the VPC portchannel for the second switch and for the orphan port of the second switch for configuring the orphan port of the second switch. determining that the first switch (504A, 604A) and a second switch (504B, 604B) are connected in a pair of switch peers in the VPC domain via a shared VPC-peerlink (512, 612); determining that the first switch is in a primary role; determining a unique identifier for the first switch, a VPC portchannel number for the first switch, and an orphan port number for the first switch, wherein orphan ports are ports of switches used to connect with single-attached hosts (616A, 616B); receiving, from the second switch via the VPC-peerlink, a unique identifier for the second switch, a VPC portchannel number for the second switch, and an orphan port number for the second switch; associating the VPC portchannel number for the second switch and the VPC portchannel number for the first switch with a unified VPC portchannel number; creating a first unique orphan port number for the first switch and a second unique orphan port number for the second switch; sending, to a controller along with a request for port configuration data, the unified VPC portchannel number and the first and second unique orphan port numbers; receiving, from the controller, port configuration data for the unified VPC portchannel, the orphan port of the first switch, and the orphan port of the second switch; configuring the orphan port of the first switch with the port configuration data; configuring the VPC portchannel for the first switch that is associated with the unified VPC portchannel with the port configuration data for the unified VPC portchannel; and transmitting, to the second switch, the port configuration data for the unified VPC portchannel to associate with the VPC portchannel for the second switch and for the orphan port of the second switch for configuring the orphan port of the second switch.