Stretching a point: the economics of elastic infrastructure

Autoscaling is a feature in cloud computing that automatically adjusts the number of virtual machines (VMs) based on demand, allowing users to save costs by not paying for unused capacity. However, autoscaling has its limitations and may not always result in significant cost savings. It can be useful for managing daily fluctuations in load but may struggle with unexpected surges or long-term growth trends. Additionally, predictive autoscaling is an emerging field that aims to anticipate future demand based on historical data or external factors. While the engineering effort required for autoscaling can be substantial, it offers operational benefits and flexibility for managing unpredictable customer usage patterns.