Which feature allows an administrator to implement master copies of virtual machines to create ready-for-use virtual machines?

Templates are a key feature in virtualization environments that enable administrators to create master copies of virtual machines. By utilizing templates, an administrator can configure a virtual machine with the desired operating system, applications, and settings. Once this master copy is created, it can be cloned to produce multiple ready-for-use virtual machines quickly and efficiently. This eliminates the need for repetitive setup and configuration processes for each newly deployed virtual machine.

Templates also ensure consistency across the virtual machines deployed from them, as all instances will have the same base configuration. Additionally, templates can be a part of the overall automation strategy, enabling faster provisioning and reducing errors associated with manual configurations.

In contrast, custom attributes are used for tagging and organizing resources within the virtual environment, making it easier to manage and identify virtual machines but do not facilitate the creation of ready-to-use instances. Snapshots allow for capturing the state of a virtual machine at a specific point in time, which is useful for backup and recovery, but they do not serve as a starting point for deploying multiple instances. Resource pools, on the other hand, are used for managing and allocating resources among virtual machines but do not directly relate to the creation of virtual machine master copies.