What does “cloud bursting” refer to?

"Cloud bursting" refers to the practice of utilizing additional external cloud resources to handle increased demand when an application exceeds the capacity of its primary cloud environment. This typically occurs during peak load periods, allowing organizations to scale quickly and efficiently without permanently expanding their infrastructure. By leveraging the external cloud resources, businesses can maintain performance, reduce downtime, and respond effectively to variability in traffic or demand.

This concept highlights the flexibility and scalability advantages of cloud computing, where businesses can manage fluctuating workloads without having to invest in and maintain excess hardware. It enables organizations to pay only for the resources they use during these peak times, resulting in cost efficiency and optimized resource management.