Which VMware component allows for centralized management of multiple ESXi hosts?

The correct answer is vCenter Server, which serves as a centralized management platform for multiple ESXi hosts within a VMware environment. vCenter Server enables administrators to manage the entire virtual infrastructure from a single interface, allowing for efficient handling of resources, performance monitoring, and configuration of virtual machines across all connected hosts.

With vCenter Server, users can perform several essential tasks such as provisioning, configuring, and managing virtual machines, enabling features like vMotion (live migration of VMs), high availability, and DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler). These capabilities greatly enhance operational efficiency and streamline management practices, especially in environments with numerous hosts.

In contrast, the vSphere Client is a user interface that connects to the vCenter Server or an individual ESXi host for management purposes but does not provide centralized management for multiple ESXi hosts by itself. The ESXi Manager does not exist as a formal component within VMware’s ecosystem; rather, ESXi refers to the hypervisor itself. VMware Workstation is a desktop virtualization product that allows running virtual machines on a local machine and does not offer centralized management for ESXi hosts.