What does server virtualization achieve in a data centre?

Server virtualization enables multiple virtual servers to run on a single physical server, which is a fundamental characteristic of virtualization technology. This approach maximizes the utilization of hardware resources, allowing organizations to scale their IT infrastructure more efficiently. By creating virtual machines (VMs), each with its own operating system and applications, server virtualization consolidates workloads onto fewer physical servers.

This consolidation results in several benefits, including reduced hardware costs, lower energy consumption, and simplified management since multiple virtual environments can be monitored and maintained from a single interface. It also enhances the agility and flexibility of the data centre, making it easier to deploy new services and manage workloads dynamically according to demand. Moreover, virtualization also facilitates better disaster recovery solutions, as VMs can be easily backed up and migrated between physical servers.

In contrast, the other choices focus on aspects that virtualization does not directly address: direct data transfer between servers, ensuring identical servers, and simplifying purchasing processes do not encapsulate the primary function and benefit of server virtualization.