CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What is the term for the ability of cloud resources to scale up and down as needed?

1. Flexibility

2. Elasticity

3. Scalability

4. Adaptability

The correct answer is: Elasticity

The term that best describes the ability of cloud resources to scale up and down as needed is elasticity. This concept refers to the resources' capability to efficiently allocate or deallocate resources dynamically based on the current demand. For instance, if an application's usage increases, the cloud environment can provide additional resources to accommodate this growth, and when usage decreases, those excess resources can be released. Elasticity is a core characteristic of cloud computing that allows organizations to handle varying workloads without requiring permanent infrastructure investments, resulting in cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. While flexibility, scalability, and adaptability are related concepts, they do not specifically capture the dynamic resource allocation inherent in elasticity. Flexibility refers to the capability to change or adapt to different scenarios, scalability focuses on the ability to increase capacity but doesn’t inherently include the dynamic aspect (the ability to decrease capacity as well), and adaptability describes the general ability to adjust to change but doesn't directly relate to the management of resources in a cloud environment. Therefore, elasticity is the most precise term for this ability.