- A
The two switches must be part of a single stack or virtual switch fabric.
This allows the NIC team to see the two switches as one logical switch and use both links simultaneously.
- B
Spanning-tree PortFast must be enabled on the switch ports connected to the servers.
Why wrong: PortFast is not required and may cause issues if BPDUs are expected.
- C
Both NIC team members must be configured in the same VLAN.
Active-active teaming requires both links to belong to the same VLAN to avoid traffic asymmetry.
- D
The NIC team must use LACP for load balancing.
Why wrong: LACP is optional; static aggregation can also be used.
- E
Both NIC team members should connect to the same switch module for consistency.
Why wrong: For redundancy, they should connect to different switch modules.
Quick Answer
The answer is that both NIC team members must be configured in the same VLAN. This requirement is essential because StackWise Virtual technology merges two physical switches into a single logical control plane, enabling active-active NIC teaming to forward traffic across both links simultaneously without causing Layer 2 loops or MAC address flapping. On the Cisco DevNet Associate 200-901 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how high-availability designs integrate with Cisco’s stacking technologies; a common trap is assuming active-active mode requires separate VLANs for load balancing, when in fact the unified stack treats the pair as one switch, so identical VLAN membership is mandatory to prevent broadcast storms. A useful memory tip: think of StackWise Virtual as a single switch with two faces—both NIC members must speak the same VLAN language to avoid confusion.
200-901 Network Fundamentals Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of network fundamentals. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network administrator is deploying a new application that requires high availability and load balancing across multiple servers. The servers are connected to a pair of switches that use StackWise virtual technology. The application team requests that the servers be configured with NIC teaming in active-active mode. Which two requirements must be met for this configuration to work correctly? (Choose two.)
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The two switches must be part of a single stack or virtual switch fabric.
Option A is correct because StackWise virtual technology logically combines two physical switches into a single control plane, allowing NIC teaming in active-active mode to treat the pair as one logical switch. This ensures that both NIC team members can forward traffic simultaneously without loops, as the stack provides a unified Layer 2 topology and prevents MAC flapping between the two switches.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The two switches must be part of a single stack or virtual switch fabric.
Why this is correct
This allows the NIC team to see the two switches as one logical switch and use both links simultaneously.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Spanning-tree PortFast must be enabled on the switch ports connected to the servers.
Why it's wrong here
PortFast is not required and may cause issues if BPDUs are expected.
- ✓
Both NIC team members must be configured in the same VLAN.
Why this is correct
Active-active teaming requires both links to belong to the same VLAN to avoid traffic asymmetry.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The NIC team must use LACP for load balancing.
Why it's wrong here
LACP is optional; static aggregation can also be used.
- ✗
Both NIC team members should connect to the same switch module for consistency.
Why it's wrong here
For redundancy, they should connect to different switch modules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that NIC teaming requires LACP or that PortFast is necessary for active-active operation, but the real key is that the switches must be part of a single logical fabric to avoid loops and MAC flapping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
StackWise virtual (or VSS) uses a virtual switch link (VSL) to synchronize the control plane between the two switches, making them appear as a single logical device with a single MAC address table and spanning-tree instance. In active-active NIC teaming, the server sends traffic on both links simultaneously, and the stack must ensure that frames are not looped back; this is achieved by the stack's internal forwarding logic, which treats the two physical ports as a single logical port-channel. A real-world scenario is a data center using Cisco Nexus 9000 vPC (Virtual Port Channel) or Catalyst StackWise to provide both load balancing and redundancy for server NIC teams.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-901 question test?
Network Fundamentals — This question tests Network Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The two switches must be part of a single stack or virtual switch fabric. — Option A is correct because StackWise virtual technology logically combines two physical switches into a single control plane, allowing NIC teaming in active-active mode to treat the pair as one logical switch. This ensures that both NIC team members can forward traffic simultaneously without loops, as the stack provides a unified Layer 2 topology and prevents MAC flapping between the two switches.
What should I do if I get this 200-901 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This 200-901 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-901 exam.
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