Elasticity
Automatically scaling resources up and down in response to real-time demand.
Elasticity is the cloud’s ability to automatically add or remove resources in direct response to real-time changes in workload demand. In Azure, this is delivered through features like autoscale on Virtual Machine Scale Sets and App Service, which monitor metrics such as CPU utilization and adjust instance counts without manual intervention. The key exam distinction is between elasticity and scalability. Scalability means a system can handle increased load, but that growth may require deliberate, planned action. Elasticity specifically implies automatic, dynamic adjustment in both directions: scaling out when demand spikes and scaling back in when it drops, keeping costs aligned with actual usage.
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