Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science 2025 - Free AP Computer Science Practice Questions and Study Guide

Scalability refers to the ability of a network to grow and manage increased demand without sacrificing performance. When a network is scalable, it can accommodate a higher volume of traffic or an expanding number of users by adding resources, such as servers or bandwidth, thereby ensuring a consistent level of service as the network's size increases. This concept is crucial for businesses and organizations that anticipate growth, as scalability allows them to adapt to changing needs efficiently.

In contrast, redundancy focuses on duplicating critical components or systems to improve reliability, while fault tolerance refers to the ability of a system to continue functioning correctly in the event of a failure. Protocols are established rules and standards that govern data transmission and communication across the network but do not inherently address the network's capacity to handle increased traffic. Hence, scalability specifically addresses the capacity and performance aspect of network management in response to rising demands, making it the correct choice.