The term scalabilityScalability The term scalability refers to a system’s ability to scale up or scale down according to needs and availability. In the case of software or hardware, it is the ability to adapt to an increase in demand or workload. It therefore indicates whether a system is suitable for growth or not. For telecommunications networks, it is the ability to cope with unexpected spikes in traffic. refers to a system’s ability to scale up or scale down according to needs and availability. In the case of software or hardware, it is the ability to adapt to an increase in demand or workload. It therefore indicates whether a system is suitable for growth or not. For telecommunications networks, it is the ability to cope with unexpected spikes in traffic.