Which statement is true about scalability in networks?

• A. It measures how quickly data can be encrypted
• B. It indicates how easily the network can accommodate more users and data transmission requirements as they increase
• C. It is the same as reliability
• D. It depends only on hardware quality

Answer: (B)

Scalability in networks is about a system’s ability to grow and handle increasing load—more users, more devices, more data traffic—without unacceptable performance loss. The best statement reflects this growth aspect by saying the network’s scalability shows how easily it can accommodate more users and data transmission requirements as they increase. In practice, scalability comes from scalable architectures and strategies such as adding resources horizontally (more routers, switches, or links), using load balancing, and employing protocols that work well as the network grows. It’s not about how quickly data can be encrypted, which is a security concern; it’s not the same as reliability, which is about consistent performance under expected conditions; and it isn’t determined solely by hardware quality, since software design and network topology also shape how well a network scales.