What is a cluster in the context of vSphere?

In the context of vSphere, a cluster is defined as a collection of ESXi hosts that work together as a unified entity. This architecture allows for the sharing of resources among the hosts within the cluster, providing benefits such as load balancing, high availability, and resource optimization. By grouping multiple ESXi hosts into a single cluster, vSphere can manage workload distribution, enabling VMs to move seamlessly between hosts in the event of a failure or when additional resources are needed.

Clustering also facilitates features like Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), which automatically allocates resources based on demand, and High Availability (HA), which ensures that virtual machines remain operational in the event of a host failure. The ability to manage multiple hosts as a single unit is fundamental to maximizing resource utilization and providing resilience within a virtualized environment.