Final answer:
Vertical scaling means increasing the capacity of a single server by adding more resources to it. It involves upgrading the hardware components of the server to handle increased workloads and provide better performance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Vertical scaling, also known as scaling up, refers to increasing the capacity of a single server by adding more resources to it. This usually involves upgrading the hardware components of the server, such as increasing the amount of RAM, adding more CPUs, or expanding storage capacity. By scaling vertically, a system can handle increased workloads and provide better performance.
For example, let's say you have a website that experiences a sudden surge in traffic. Instead of adding more servers to distribute the load horizontally, you could vertically scale up your existing server by increasing its resources. This would allow the server to handle the increased traffic without the need for additional machines.