Introduction to Scaling Databases

What is database scaling?

When thinking about a software system’s scalability, we must consider the performance of one of the most common system resources :- a database. Databases play a crucial role in the overall performance of any system that is dependent on the retrieval and storage of information. If a database is responding to too many requests or runs out of storage capacity, a system may perform poorly (e.g., slow response speed). This is why it is important to consider database scaling to accommodate a system’s growing data storage and performance needs.

Database Scaling is the process of adding or removing from a database’s pool of resources to support changing demand. A database can be scaled up or down to accommodate the needs of the application that it’s supporting.