What is a vSwitch?

A vSwitch, or virtual switch, is indeed defined as a logical switching fabric that emulates a physical switch in a virtualized environment. It allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) on the same host to communicate with each other and with the external network. By establishing a virtual network, it provides the necessary means for managing traffic between VMs and to/from the physical network. The functionality of a vSwitch extends to handling data packets, managing bandwidth, and applying security measures like network isolation and traffic monitoring, similar to how a physical switch operates in a traditional network.

In contrast to the other options, a virtual router focuses on routing data between different networks rather than switching traffic within the same network segment. A physical network switch refers specifically to hardware that connects devices in a local area network, which does not capture the essence of virtualization that a vSwitch represents. Lastly, a wireless network device is designed for wireless connectivity and does not pertain to the functionalities offered by virtual switches in a virtualized infrastructure.