What does virtualization involve?

Virtualization fundamentally involves creating a simulated version of something, typically hardware platforms or operating systems, allowing multiple instances (or "guests") to run on a single physical server. This process leverages software to enable the coexistence of multiple operating systems or applications on a single machine, while ensuring that they operate in isolation from one another. This means that each guest has its own virtual environment, which functions independently, preventing them from interfering with one another's operations.

This technology offers significant advantages, such as improved resource utilization, flexibility in resource allocation, and simplified management of server environments. For instance, organizations can run different operating systems (like Windows and Linux) on the same physical hardware, or isolate different applications to enhance security and stability.

The other options do not accurately describe virtualization. For example, replication of services across multiple servers refers more to redundancy and load balancing than virtualization itself. Single-user access to system resources suggests a lack of sharing, which contradicts the essence of virtualization. Lastly, stating that all servers use a single operating system oversimplifies the concept and ignores the variety of operating systems that can be run simultaneously on a virtualized environment.

In summary, the correct understanding of virtualization is best exemplified by multiple guests coexisting on the