How does vSphere DPM (Distributed Power Management) contribute to resource management?

vSphere Distributed Power Management (DPM) plays a crucial role in optimizing resource utilization within a VMware cluster by automatically adjusting the number of powered-on hosts based on current demands. The correct response highlights that DPM recommends or implements actions based on cluster capacity, which allows it to enhance energy efficiency and operational costs.

When the demand for resources decreases, DPM can power down underutilized hosts, conserving energy and reducing costs. Conversely, when resource demands increase, DPM can power on additional hosts to ensure that performance levels are maintained and that all virtual machine workloads can run efficiently. This dynamic adjustment is based on real-time monitoring of resource utilization, ensuring that the environment is both cost-effective and responsive to workload changes.

By intelligently managing the number of active hosts, vSphere DPM not only ensures efficiency but also helps maintain a balance between performance and power consumption in data centers. This makes it a powerful tool for resource management within VMware environments.