Which feature of cloud services allows instant resource scaling?

Elasticity is the feature of cloud services that allows for instant resource scaling. This concept refers to the cloud's ability to automatically adjust the amount of resources being allocated to an application or service based on demand. When the workload increases, the cloud can quickly provision additional resources, such as virtual machines, storage, or processing power. Conversely, when the demand decreases, it can scale down the resources to optimize costs and efficiency.

Elasticity is a fundamental characteristic of cloud computing that enables organizations to handle varying workloads with minimal delay and without the need for significant manual intervention. By leveraging elasticity, organizations can ensure they have the necessary resources available during peak usage times while minimizing costs during off-peak periods. This flexibility is one of the major advantages of using cloud services over traditional on-premises solutions.

In contrast, static provisioning refers to a fixed allocation of resources that does not adapt based on demand, which can lead to over-provisioning or under-provisioning issues. Fixed resources imply a set amount that cannot be varied, and resource standardization focuses on uniformity in resource configurations rather than dynamic scaling capabilities.