Which characteristic of cloud computing allows for dynamic scaling of resources as demand varies?

The characteristic of cloud computing that allows for dynamic scaling of resources as demand varies is rapid elasticity. This feature enables cloud services to quickly provision and scale up or down based on real-time demand. With rapid elasticity, cloud environments can adapt to workload changes seamlessly, meaning that when the user needs additional resources due to increased demand, the cloud service can immediately allocate more resources. Conversely, if demand decreases, it can also scale down, ensuring efficient use of resources and cost management.

This flexibility is crucial for businesses that experience fluctuating workloads, as it allows them to maintain performance without the need to invest in hardware that might remain underutilized during slower periods. Unlike other characteristics such as resource pooling, which refers to the aggregation of resources in a shared environment, or measured service, which deals with resource usage metrics, rapid elasticity explicitly focuses on the immediate responsiveness to demand variations.