CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What type of scaling involves adding capacity by deploying additional servers?

1. Vertical scaling

2. Horizontal scaling

3. Dynamic scaling

4. Elastic scaling

The correct answer is: Horizontal scaling

The correct choice is horizontal scaling. This approach involves increasing capacity by adding more servers to the existing infrastructure, allowing for better load distribution and the ability to handle more simultaneous requests or larger volumes of data. Horizontal scaling is often favored in cloud environments because it enables organizations to leverage multiple machines, enhancing availability and fault tolerance. In contrast, vertical scaling refers to adding more resources (like CPU or RAM) to an existing server to increase its capacity, which does not involve deploying additional physical or virtual servers. Dynamic scaling and elastic scaling relate to the ability to adapt resources in real-time based on current demands, but they don't specifically describe the act of adding servers. In summary, horizontal scaling is specifically concerned with adding more servers to improve overall system performance and capacity.