"Traffic spikes can be broken into two broad categories: the ones you expect, and the ones you don’t. Spikes that you can anticipate – those on the day of a major product release or ad campaign, for instance – you can prepare for in advance. Even if you’re caught unawares by a traffic spike, perhaps caused by a major news event or a link from Slashdot, you may be able to reduce its impact after the fact."
