Which prerequisite must be met for using Storage I/O Control?

To successfully use Storage I/O Control in a VMware vSphere environment, the system must be managed by a single vCenter Server. This requirement is crucial because Storage I/O Control settings and operations are configured at the datastore level, which is managed by a specific vCenter Server instance. If multiple vCenter Servers are managing different datastores, it can lead to inconsistencies and conflicts in how I/O resources are allocated and controlled across those datastores.

By requiring a single vCenter Server, VMware ensures that all policies and configurations related to Storage I/O Control can be centrally managed, allowing for effective monitoring and enforcement of storage resources across virtual machines hosted on the same datastore. This centralized approach simplifies management and helps prevent potential issues that could arise from having multiple entities controlling I/O policies across the same storage infrastructure.