What does scaling out in a storage context refer to?

In a storage context, scaling out refers to adding additional resources to expand the capacity and processing power of the storage system. This involves integrating more storage devices or nodes into an existing architecture to accommodate growing data needs. By doing so, organizations can manage larger volumes of data while maintaining performance levels.

This approach is often contrasted with scaling up, which focuses on enhancing existing hardware capabilities (such as upgrading to a larger hard drive). When you scale out, you're effectively distributing the load across multiple devices or servers, which can lead to improved redundancy, fault tolerance, and flexibility in terms of storage allocation.

The answer encompasses the dual aspects of scaling out—both compute, in terms of processing storage requests, and capacity, in terms of the actual space available for data. This holistic enhancement aligns with modern storage architectures and is essential for infrastructure that must adapt to fluctuating demands.