Which statement describes a characteristic of Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches?

Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches are fixed-configuration switches, meaning they are not modular and do not allow for the addition or swapping of modules like some other types of switches do. Here are the characteristics of the Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches based on your options:

They are modular switches.

• This statement is incorrect. Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches are not modular but fixed-configuration switches.

New Cisco Catalyst 2960-C switches support PoE pass-through.

• This statement is correct. Some models of the Cisco Catalyst 2960-C series switches support Power over Ethernet (PoE) pass-through, which allows them to pass power to downstream devices such as IP phones or wireless access points without needing a separate power supply for those devices.

They do not support an active switched virtual interface (SVI) with IOS versions prior to 15.x.

• This statement is generally incorrect. Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches do support an active SVI in earlier IOS versions, but with some limitations on certain models or configurations. The SVI is used for managing the switch over the network.

They are best used as distribution layer switches.

• This statement is incorrect. Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches are typically used at the access layer within a hierarchical network design. They are designed to provide network connectivity and access to end devices rather than serve as distribution layer switches, which typically require more advanced features and higher performance.

The most accurate description of Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches from the given options is that the new 2960-C models support PoE pass-through.