VMkernel

VMkernel is the core operating system component of a VMware ESXi server that manages hardware resources like CPU, memory, storage, and networking. It enables multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server by efficiently allocating resources, handling input/output operations, and ensuring security and isolation between VMs. Essentially, VMkernel acts as the intermediary that allows different virtual environments to coexist smoothly on the same hardware, making virtualization possible and reliable.