Capacity refers to a system’s ability to meet specified requirements within its maximum limits. Key aspects include:
Definition:
- Maximum workload a system can handle
- Ability to meet performance requirements under load
Measurement Areas:
- User capacity (concurrent users)
- Transaction capacity (transactions per second)
- Data capacity (volume of data processed)
Importance:
- Ensures the system can handle expected workloads
- Helps plan for future growth
Factors Affecting Capacity:
- Hardware resources (CPU, memory, storage)
- Network bandwidth
- Software architecture
Relationship to Performance:
- Capacity influences system performance under load
- High capacity doesn’t guarantee good performance
Understanding capacity helps ensure systems can meet user demands and business requirements.