What virtualization technology allows multiple operating systems to run on a single hardware platform?

The correct choice is a hypervisor, as it is specifically designed to enable the running of multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical hardware system. This technology abstracts the underlying hardware resources, allowing different operating systems to operate independently in a shared environment. Each virtual machine appears to the operating system as if it has its own dedicated hardware, though they are all utilizing the same physical resources such as CPU, memory, storage, and network interfaces.

Hypervisors come in two types: Type 1 (bare-metal), which runs directly on the hardware, and Type 2 (hosted), which runs on top of an operating system. This flexibility permits a variety of operating systems and versions to operate side by side, facilitating development, testing, and production environments without the need for multiple physical servers.

In contrast, RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is primarily a data storage virtualization technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a single logical unit for data redundancy or performance enhancement, rather than running multiple operating systems. NAS (Network Attached Storage) and SAN (Storage Area Network) are both storage solutions designed to provide access to data storage over a network, without any direct role in managing the operational environments of multiple operating systems.