What is a hypervisor in cloud computing?

A hypervisor is a critical component in cloud computing that enables the virtualization of physical hardware, allowing multiple virtual machines (VMs) to coexist and operate on a single physical server. This technology effectively abstracts the underlying hardware resources and allocates them to various virtual environments, creating isolated and independent systems that can run different operating systems and applications concurrently.

Using a hypervisor allows for efficient resource utilization, as it maximizes the potential of physical machines by enabling them to handle multiple workloads. This is particularly beneficial in cloud environments, where scalability and flexibility are paramount. By utilizing virtual machines, organizations can quickly deploy new services, simplify management, and reduce hardware costs.

The other choices relate to different aspects of cloud computing but do not define what a hypervisor is. A cloud service providing applications over the internet pertains to Software as a Service (SaaS), which is entirely different from the function of a hypervisor. Security features focus on the protection of data, which does not describe virtualization technologies. A networking component addresses communication within cloud infrastructures but is not concerned with the virtualization of hardware resources. Thus, the definition of a hypervisor as a technology enabling multiple VMs on a single physical machine stands out as the most accurate choice.