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Explanation: Cisco’s StackWise technology allows multiple physical switches to be interconnected and managed as one unified logical switch. This approach greatly simplifies network management, increases redundancy, and provides scalability by consolidating multiple devices into a single management plane. What is StackWise? StackWise is a proprietary Cisco technology used primarily in Cisco Catalyst switches. It allows up to a certain number of switches (depending on the model) to be interconnected using specialized stack cables. Once stacked, the switches share a common configuration and operate as if they were a single switch. This means that management tasks such as configuration changes, monitoring, and troubleshooting can be performed on the entire stack from a single console. Benefits of Using StackWise: Simplified Management: Managing a stack of switches as a single entity significantly reduces the administrative overhead. Instead of individually configuring and maintaining each switch, network administrators can apply settings and updates across the stack simultaneously. This centralization is especially beneficial in environments where rapid deployment and consistent configurations are critical. High Availability and Redundancy: One of the major advantages of switch stacking is increased redundancy. If one switch in the stack fails, the remaining switches continue to operate without interruption. Traffic can be rerouted through the other switches, ensuring network continuity. This built-in redundancy improves overall network reliability and minimizes downtime. Scalability: StackWise enables network administrators to expand the network easily. As the network grows, additional switches can be added to the stack without the need to completely reconfigure the existing infrastructure. This scalability makes StackWise an attractive option for organizations with growing network demands. Unified Management and Monitoring: When switches are stacked, they share a single IP address for management purposes. This unification simplifies remote access, monitoring, and troubleshooting, as network administrators can view the status and performance of the entire stack through a single interface. Tools and protocols such as SNMP, NetFlow, and others can be applied across the entire stack. Distinguishing from Other Technologies: EtherChannel is used for bundling multiple physical links between switches to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy, but it does not combine switches into one logical device. VTP (VLAN Trunking Protocol) is used for managing VLAN configurations across switches, not for physically stacking them. Spanning Tree is a loop prevention mechanism and does not provide the unified management benefits that StackWise offers. For CCNA exam preparation, understanding StackWise is important not only for its benefits but also for knowing how it differentiates from other Cisco technologies. It is a real-world solution used to simplify network design and operations in enterprise environments. In summary, StackWise is the technology that allows multiple Cisco switches to be managed as one logical switch, offering simplified management, enhanced redundancy, and scalable network design.