In the context of VMware, what is a key characteristic of a datastore cluster?

A key characteristic of a datastore cluster is that it consolidates multiple datastores into a load-balanced resource. This means that the datastore cluster allows for improved resource management and efficiency by distributing the storage workload across several datastores.

The load-balancing capability is particularly important in environments where there are fluctuations in resource demands. VMware's DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) can be employed with datastore clusters, automatically balancing the space and I/O load among the datastores. This optimizes performance and ensures that virtual machines have sufficient access to storage resources, which enhances overall system reliability and performance.

In contrast, options related to backup, limiting the number of virtual machines, or providing a user-friendly interface do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of a datastore cluster within VMware. These aspects either pertain to different functionalities or do not capture the core objective of a datastore cluster, which is about load balancing and resource optimization.