Autoskalázó

Autoskalázó, or autoscaler, is a system component or feature that automatically adjusts the number of computing resources allocated to an application or service based on demand. This process is crucial for maintaining performance, availability, and cost-effectiveness in dynamic computing environments, such as cloud platforms.

When an autoscaler detects that the current load on a service is exceeding its capacity, it initiates scaling up. This typically involves provisioning additional instances of the application or service. Conversely, when the demand decreases and resources are underutilized, the autoscaler can scale down by deallocating these excess resources.

The decision to scale is usually driven by predefined metrics, such as CPU utilization, memory usage, network traffic, or request queue length. Thresholds are set for these metrics, and when they are breached, the autoscaler triggers the scaling action. This automated adjustment helps prevent performance degradation during peak loads and avoids overspending on resources during periods of low activity.

Autoscaling is a fundamental concept in modern distributed systems and microservices architectures, enabling applications to be resilient and efficient. It plays a significant role in cloud computing services, where the ability to dynamically adjust resources is a key advantage. Different autoscaling strategies exist, including reactive scaling based on current metrics and predictive scaling that attempts to anticipate future demand.