What technology allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine?

The technology that allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine is virtualization. Virtualization involves creating a virtual version of a physical resource, such as a server, through a hypervisor. This allows the physical machine's resources—like CPU, memory, and storage—to be divided and allocated to multiple virtual machines, each running its own operating system and applications independently.

By using virtualization, organizations can maximize hardware utilization, reduce costs, simplify resource management, and enhance the scalability of their IT infrastructure. Each virtual machine operates as if it were a distinct physical machine, providing flexibility and isolation between different workloads. This capability is foundational in cloud computing environments, enabling efficient resource allocation and management.

Containerization, while also related to virtualization, does not create full virtual machines but rather uses operating system-level virtualization to run applications in isolated user spaces called containers. Therefore, while both technologies serve similar goals, virtualization specifically refers to the use of full virtual machines on a single physical host.