What is the term for automatically adjusting the number of active servers based on workload demands?

Autoscaling refers to the process of automatically adjusting the number of active servers in a cloud environment in response to varying workload demands. This capability allows organizations to maintain optimal performance while efficiently utilizing resources. When traffic spikes or decreases, autoscaling can dynamically add or remove server instances to ensure that applications remain responsive and that resources are used cost-effectively.

The ability to autoscale is an essential feature of cloud computing, as it helps manage operational costs by only provisioning the required resources at any given moment. This means that during high-traffic periods, additional servers can be spun up to handle the increased load, while during quieter times, unnecessary servers can be decommissioned to save costs.

While load balancing plays a crucial role in distributing traffic across multiple servers to prevent any single server from becoming overwhelmed, it does not inherently involve modifying the number of servers in operation. Dynamic allocation and server optimization are also relevant concepts, but they typically refer more to the distribution of resources or the tuning of server performance rather than the specific action of increasing or decreasing the number of servers based on workload.