What is the difference between scalability and elasticity in cloud computing?

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What is the difference between scalability and elasticity in cloud computing?

Scalability and elasticity are both important concepts in cloud computing, but they have distinct differences.

Scalability refers to the ability of a system or application to handle an increasing workload by adding more resources. It involves increasing the capacity of the system to accommodate higher demand. Scalability can be achieved by adding more servers, storage, or network resources to the existing infrastructure. It allows the system to handle a larger number of users or process a higher volume of data without compromising performance.

On the other hand, elasticity refers to the ability of a system or application to automatically provision and de-provision resources based on the current demand. It involves dynamically scaling resources up or down in response to fluctuations in workload. Elasticity allows the system to adapt to changing demands in real-time, ensuring optimal resource utilization and cost efficiency. It enables the system to scale up during peak periods and scale down during periods of low demand.

In summary, scalability focuses on increasing the capacity of the system to handle higher workloads, while elasticity emphasizes the ability to dynamically adjust resources based on current demand.