What is resource contention?

Resource contention refers to a situation where multiple processes or threads compete for the same limited resources, such as CPU time, memory, or I/O bandwidth. In cloud environments and computing in general, resources are not infinite; they have constraints based on physical hardware, capacity of virtual machines, and overall system architecture. When multiple applications or services request the same resources simultaneously, contention arises, which can lead to performance degradation, increased latency, or even failures if the demand exceeds the available resource capacity. This scenario is critical for cloud architects and engineers to understand as it influences design decisions, resource allocation strategies, and scaling solutions in cloud infrastructure. Efficiently managing resource contention is essential for ensuring optimal performance and reliability in cloud services.