skaalbaarheid

Skaalbaarheid, often translated as scalability, refers to the ability of a system, network, or process to handle a growing amount of work or its potential to be enlarged to accommodate that growth. In computing, it commonly relates to how a system can handle an increasing number of users, transactions, or data volumes without a significant decrease in performance. There are typically two main types of scalability: vertical and horizontal.

Vertical scalability, also known as scaling up, involves increasing the capacity of existing resources. This might mean adding more CPU power, RAM, or storage to a single server. While this can improve performance, it often has physical limitations and can become more expensive as resources are upgraded.

Horizontal scalability, or scaling out, involves adding more machines or nodes to a system to distribute the workload. This approach is often considered more flexible and cost-effective for handling very large increases in demand. By distributing tasks across multiple servers, a system can often achieve higher levels of availability and fault tolerance.

The concept of scalability is crucial in many fields, including software development, cloud computing, and network infrastructure. Designing systems with scalability in mind from the outset can prevent performance bottlenecks and ensure a positive user experience as demand increases over time. Evaluating a system's scalability involves considering factors like cost, complexity, and potential performance limits.