What is one of the key roles of VMware Distributed Switch?

One of the key roles of VMware Distributed Switch is to facilitate advanced networking capabilities. This technology abstracts network configuration and management for virtual machines, allowing for consistent networking policies across hosts and providing features that enhance both performance and security within a virtualized environment. It enables functionalities such as port mirroring, traffic shaping, and the ability to manage multiple ESXi hosts as a single logical switch. This centralized management simplifies the network configuration and enhances the overall operational efficiency of the virtual network infrastructure.

In comparison, improving file access speeds focuses on storage performance rather than networking. Managing routing protocols typically pertains to handling packet switching and routing in traditional network environments, which does not align with the specific capabilities of VMware Distributed Switch. Lastly, configuring Type 2 hypervisors relates to managing virtual machines running on top of an operating system rather than the advanced networking features that a distributed switch offers within a virtualized data center.