Which of the following is a key benefit of cloud services?

Scalability according to demand is a significant advantage of cloud services. This concept allows businesses to adjust their resources dynamically based on their needs without overcommitting or underutilizing their infrastructure. For example, during peak usage times, a company can easily scale up its cloud resources to handle increased traffic, while during quieter times, it can scale down to save costs. This flexibility is crucial for businesses that experience fluctuating workloads and can lead to significant cost savings and operational efficiency.

In contrast, options highlighting increased physical storage requirements and high upfront capital expenditures misrepresent the nature of cloud services. Cloud providers typically manage physical infrastructure, allowing businesses to operate with minimal capital expenditure and reduced physical storage needs. Dependence on single vendor providers can present challenges in terms of flexibility and negotiation but does not reflect a primary benefit of using cloud services. The ability to scale efficiently stands out as a cornerstone advantage of cloud computing.