What term describes the situation where more users are supported than the number of hypervisors can handle concurrently?

The term that describes the situation where more users are supported than the number of hypervisors can handle concurrently is oversubscription. This concept is particularly relevant in cloud computing and virtualization environments. Oversubscription occurs when resources are allocated to virtual machines (VMs) in a way that exceeds the physical resources available, allowing more virtual instances than the underlying hardware can support simultaneously.

Oversubscription takes advantage of the fact that not all VMs will use their allocated resources (such as CPU or RAM) to the maximum at the same time. This leads to improved resource utilization and can lower costs, as it allows service providers to support a greater number of VMs without needing additional physical servers. However, it also comes with the risk of performance degradation if too many users demand resources at the same time, potentially leading to contention and throttling.

Understanding oversubscription is essential for managing expected loads in a cloud environment efficiently, as it helps balance performance and resource costs effectively while ensuring that the infrastructure can still meet the demands placed on it.