350-401 Architecture Practice Question
A network administrator is planning a new Cisco Catalyst switch stack and wants to verify that the stacking cables provide redundancy so that the loss of a single stacking link does not split the stack. The switches support StackWise-480. Which cabling practice should the administrator follow to achieve a resilient stack ring?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking that any cabling that connects all switches is sufficient, when StackWise-480 specifically needs a closed ring to survive a single link failure.
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
✓
Connect each switch to the next and the last switch back to the first to form a ring.
A StackWise-480 stack should be cabled as a ring, with each switch connected to the next and the last switch connected back to the first. This loop gives the stack two paths for stacking traffic, so a single link failure does not split the stack, which is exactly what the administrator needs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Connect only the first and last switches in the stack and leave the middle switches unconnected.
Why it's wrong here
Leaving middle switches unconnected breaks the stacking data path entirely; those switches cannot participate in the stack. Stacking requires every member to be cabled into the ring. This option fails to provide any redundancy and would prevent the stack from forming, so it is clearly wrong.
- ✗
Connect the switches in a full mesh using a separate cable between every pair of switches.
Why it's wrong here
StackWise-480 is designed as a ring, not a full mesh. Extra cabling between every pair is unnecessary and unsupported as a topology; the stack ports are intended to form a loop. Full mesh does not provide the intended behaviour and wastes ports, so it is not the correct cabling practice here.
- ✓
Connect each switch to the next and the last switch back to the first to form a ring.
Why this is correct
StackWise-480 uses a ring topology in which each switch connects to the next and the final switch connects back to the first. This loop allows traffic to flow in either direction, so a single cable or switch failure does not split the stack. That matches the requirement for a resilient stack ring.
- ✗
Connect the switches in a single daisy chain using one cable between each pair of switches.
Why it's wrong here
A single daisy chain provides no redundancy. If one stacking cable fails, the stack can split into separate stacks, causing outages and duplicate configurations. StackWise-480 requires a ring topology for resilience, so a daisy chain does not meet the requirement and is therefore incorrect for this design.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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