A host server does not have virtual switching configured, and a guest NIC is on a different subnet. What is the likely result?

When virtual switching is not configured on a host server, the communication between the guest operating system (OS) and the host server, as well as external network resources, becomes restricted. Specifically, if a guest NIC is assigned to a different subnet from that of the host and there is no virtual switch to facilitate communication, the guest will not be able to reach any network resources, including the host itself.

This lack of connectivity arises because the virtual network interface cards (vNICs) in virtualized environments typically connect through virtual switches that manage traffic among the VM and the physical network. In the absence of a properly configured virtual switch, packets sent from the guest NIC cannot be routed to the host or external networks, resulting in a complete lack of network access. Therefore, the assessment that the guest will not have network access to the host or network resources is indeed accurate and reflects a fundamental aspect of how networking is managed in virtual environments.