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Scaling Differences

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They’re both valid scaling techniques, but they both have different limitations on the affected system.

Horizontal Scaling

  • Involves adding more machines or instances to your infrastructure.
  • Increases capacity by connecting multiple hardware or software entities so they work as a single logical unit.
  • Often used in distributed systems and cloud environments.

Vertical Scaling

  • Involves adding more resources (CPU, RAM, storage) to an existing machine.
  • Increases capacity by enhancing the power of a single server or instance.
  • Limited by the maximum capacity of the hardware.

In summary, horizontal scaling adds more machines to handle increased load, while vertical scaling enhances the power of existing machines.