AWS (Amazon Web Services) Certification Practice Exam

What does virtualization allow within a server?

1. Running simulations of server environments

2. Multiple virtual machines running different operating systems

3. Direct control of hardware components

4. Isolation of physical servers

The correct answer is: Multiple virtual machines running different operating systems

Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical server, each potentially operating on different operating systems. This is made possible by a hypervisor, which sits between the hardware and the operating system, managing the resources and providing isolation between the virtual machines. This capability enhances resource utilization, as a single physical server can host multiple operating systems and applications, maximizing efficiency and lowering costs. The other options, while related to virtualization in various contexts, do not define its primary capability. Running simulations of server environments does not capture the essence of virtualization, as it implies a temporary or test scenario rather than permanent, ongoing operations. Direct control of hardware components is typically a characteristic of bare-metal environments rather than virtualized environments, where the hypervisor abstracts hardware access. Lastly, the isolation of physical servers is not an intrinsic feature of virtualization; virtualization isolates virtual machines from each other but does not inherently isolate physical servers themselves—the goal is often to consolidate them.