Local SSD and Types of Storage in GCP
Local SSD — VM locally attached SSDs
Local SSD in GCP is a super-fast and temporary storage option that is directly connected to your virtual machine. It’s perfect for applications that require quick access to data. However, it’s not for storing data long-term because any data stored on it will be lost when the virtual machine is stopped or deleted. It comes in different sizes and can only be used with Linux virtual machines in some regions and machine types.
Local SSDs in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) are temporary, high-performance block storage devices that are physically attached to the server hosting your virtual machine instance. Unlike persistent disks, which are network-attached and can be detached from the instance and reattached to another instance, local SSDs are ephemeral and cannot be detached or reattached.
Local SSDs provide very low latency and high IOPS (input/output operations per second), making them ideal for workloads that require high-performance storage, such as databases, analytics, and machine learning. However, they are not recommended for data that needs to be persisted or for long-term storage.
Local SSDs come in sizes ranging from 375 GB to 3.75 TB and can be added to a virtual machine instance at creation time or later. They are available for use on certain machine types and in certain regions, so it is important to check availability before choosing to use them. Additionally, local SSDs can only be used with Linux virtual machine instances and cannot be used with Windows instances.
It is important to note that any data stored on local SSDs is lost when the instance is stopped or deleted, so it is recommended to use local SSDs only for temporary data that can be recreated or reloaded if necessary.
Types of Storage in GCP
In Google Cloud Platform (GCP), there are several types of storage available for storing and accessing data:
Object Storage: It is a highly scalable and durable storage option for unstructured data, such as images, videos, and backups. Google Cloud Storage is an example of object storage in GCP.
Block Storage: It is a type of storage that provides persistent, low-latency access to data in a block format. It is ideal for workloads that require high-performance storage, such as databases and virtual machines. Google Persistent Disk and Local SSD are examples of block storage in GCP.
File Storage: It is a shared file storage option that allows multiple virtual machines to access the same data simultaneously. Google Cloud Filestore is an example of file storage in GCP.
These storage options can be used individually or in combination to create a storage solution that meets the needs of your application or workload.
