Definition
Capacity planning is the process of determining the computing resources a system needs to meet current and future demand. It involves analyzing current usage, forecasting future needs, and ensuring sufficient infrastructure is available to handle projected workloads without performance degradation. This proactive approach ensures that systems can scale effectively to avoid bottlenecks and maintain optimal performance. For instance, a cloud provider might use capacity planning to ensure enough virtual machines are provisioned to handle anticipated user traffic during a major online event. Capacity planning differs from simple resource monitoring by focusing on future requirements rather than just present conditions. This concept is frequently assessed in cloud architecture and project management certifications.