What separates virtual machines logically, assigning each its own slice of underlying computing power, memory and storage?

The correct choice is a hypervisor, which is a crucial component of virtualization technology. A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine manager, acts as an intermediary between the hardware and the virtual machines (VMs). It allows multiple VMs to run on the same physical hardware by logically separating the resources around the CPU, memory, and storage.

When a hypervisor is in place, it allocates its resources to each VM according to their configured requirements. This separation ensures that each VM operates independently, sharing the underlying hardware without interference from other VMs. This capability of resource allocation and management is fundamental for effective virtualization, enabling organizations to optimize their hardware usage and reduce costs through server consolidation.

In contrast, containers provide a different type of virtualization. They share the operating system kernel and run in isolated environments but do so without the resource partitioning that a hypervisor offers. Middleware refers to software that connects different applications or services, facilitating communication and data management but does not play a direct role in resource allocation for VMs. A virtual network enables VMs to communicate with one another, but it does not separate or assign resources in the way a hypervisor does.