Which of the given options describes a preventative method for High Load Average?

Adding additional CPUs is indeed a preventative method for managing a high load average on a system. This approach directly addresses the issue of processing capacity. When the load average is high, it typically indicates that processes are waiting to be executed due to insufficient CPU resources. By increasing the number of CPUs, the system can handle more concurrent processes, thus reducing the load average and improving performance. This technique is particularly effective in environments where the application has a multi-threaded design or when handling numerous simultaneous users.

The other options, while beneficial in certain contexts, do not directly prevent high load averages in the same manner. Routine system maintenance can help ensure optimal performance but does not necessarily increase processing capacity. Upgrading application versions may improve performance or fix issues, yet it does not directly address the current CPU load. Monitoring network traffic is useful for identifying bottlenecks but does not inherently prevent high load conditions caused by CPU limitations. Each of these practices can contribute to overall system health but adding CPUs directly mitigates the immediate concern of high load average.