What is the primary benefit of using EtherChannel?

Using EtherChannel primarily improves bandwidth and redundancy within a network. By aggregating multiple physical links into a single logical link, EtherChannel allows for increased throughput since the combined bandwidth of the individual links is utilized. This means that if one link fails or is taken offline for maintenance, the remaining links continue to operate, ensuring that network connectivity remains intact. This redundancy enhances the reliability of the network, making it less susceptible to single points of failure.

The increased capacity comes from the fact that multiple Ethernet links can handle more data than a single link alone, which effectively allows for load balancing across the aggregated links. This feature is crucial in high-traffic scenarios where bandwidth demands are significant.

While the other options may provide certain benefits, they do not encapsulate the primary driving force behind the implementation of EtherChannel as effectively as the combination of improved bandwidth and redundancy. Reducing network complexity, enhancing packet security, and simplifying network management are benefits that may stem from proper configuration and use of EtherChannel, but they are not its main focus.