On System Scalability
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6575879.v1Topic or Tag
Abstract
A significant number of systems fail in initial use, or even during integration, because factors that have a negligible effect when systems are lightly used have a harmful effect as the level of use increases. This scalability problem (i.e., the inability of a system to accommodate an increased workload) is not new. However, the increasing size (more lines of code, greater number of users, widened scope of demands, and the like) of U.S. Department of Defense systems makes the problem more critical today than in the past.
This technical note presents an analysis of what is meant by scalability and a description of factors to be considered when assessing the potential for system scalability. The factors to be considered are captured in a scalability audit, a process intended to expose issues that, if overlooked, can lead to scalability problems.
Cite This SEI Report
Weinstock, C., & Goodenough, J. (2006, March 1). On System Scalability. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012). Retrieved September 14, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575879.v1.
@techreport{weinstock_2006,
author={Weinstock, Charles and Goodenough, John},
title={On System Scalability},
month={Mar},
year={2006},
number={{CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
doi={10.1184/R1/6575879.v1},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575879.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Sep-14}
}
Weinstock, Charles, and John Goodenough. "On System Scalability." (CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, March 1, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575879.v1.
C. Weinstock, and J. Goodenough, "On System Scalability," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012, 1-Mar-2006 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575879.v1. [Accessed: 14-Sep-2026].
Weinstock, Charles, and John Goodenough. "On System Scalability." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Mar. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575879.v1. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.
Weinstock, Charles; & Goodenough, John. On System Scalability. CMU/SEI-2006-TN-012. Software Engineering Institute. 2006. DOI: 10.1184/R1/6575879.v1. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6575879.v1