What is the primary function of an alarm in vCenter Server?

The primary function of an alarm in vCenter Server is to notify administrators about events or conditions that occur with an object in the vCenter environment. Alarms are critical for monitoring the performance and health of virtual infrastructure, as they allow for proactive management. When certain predefined thresholds or conditions are met—such as resource utilization exceeding a specific limit, or when a host becomes disconnected—alarms provide immediate notifications, enabling administrators to respond swiftly to issues before they escalate.

This notification capability is essential for maintaining system reliability, performance, and ensuring that any anomalies are addressed promptly. The alarms can be configured to send alerts through various means, such as email or SNMP traps, which helps in timely intervention and management of the virtual environment.

The other choices describe functionalities that, while related to monitoring and managing the system, do not directly define what an alarm does in vCenter Server. Keeping records of system actions or user actions does not encapsulate the proactive alerting aspect of alarms. Similarly, representing system activities, like migrations, does not align with the primary purpose of alarms.