What is the term for the process of replacing a single machine image with a larger, more powerful image?

The process of replacing a single machine image with a larger, more powerful image is referred to as vertical scaling. This term describes the practice of adding resources to a single node in a system, such as increasing its CPU, RAM, or storage capacity to enhance performance. Vertical scaling allows applications to handle more throughput or data processing without the need to redesign how they operate across multiple systems.

This differs from horizontal scaling, which involves adding more machines or instances to distribute the load, thereby enhancing capacity through adding additional nodes rather than increasing the resources of a single node. Dynamic provisioning refers to the automated allocation of resources as needed and can apply to both horizontal and vertical scaling. Resource pooling is a cloud computing concept that involves combining resources from multiple sources to serve multiple users, but it does not specifically imply the act of enhancing a single resource's power.