In the context of CPU virtualization, what does 'overcommitment' refer to?

Overcommitment in CPU virtualization specifically refers to the practice of allocating more virtual CPU resources to virtual machines than the actual physical CPUs available on the host system. This approach leverages the fact that not all virtual machines will use their allocated CPU resources to the fullest at all times. By overcommitting, you can maximize the utilization of the physical hardware and potentially run more virtual machines than you could if you strictly adhered to a one-to-one allocation of virtual CPUs to physical CPU cores.

This method can be particularly effective in environments where workloads are not CPU-intensive or where there is a mixture of workloads that can tolerate bursts of resource demand. However, it's important to manage this carefully to avoid performance degradation, as competing workloads can lead to contention for the physical CPU resources.

The other options do not accurately describe the concept of overcommitment in this context. For instance, prioritizing physical resources for critical workloads focuses on resource allocation strategies rather than the concept of exceeding available resources. Similarly, reducing the number of virtual machines on a host does not align with overcommitment, which actually implies an increase in the number of VMs based on the available resources. Finally, ensuring equal distribution of resources to all virtual machines contradicts the overcommitting principle, which is