Introduction to Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a suite of cloud computing services provided by Google. It offers a variety of services for computing, storage, networking, machine learning, and more. GCP is designed to help developers and businesses build, deploy, and scale applications in a highly efficient and cost-effective manner.

Key Resources in Google Cloud Platform

1. Compute Engine:

• Description: Provides virtual machines (VMs) that run on Google’s infrastructure. These VMs can be customized based on your needs, such as CPU type, memory, and storage.
• Use Cases: Hosting applications, running large-scale computations, and supporting backend services.

2. App Engine:

• Description: A fully managed platform for building and deploying applications. It supports multiple languages and frameworks, such as Java, Python, and Node.js.
• Use Cases: Developing web and mobile backends, APIs, and serverless applications.

3. Kubernetes Engine:

• Description: A managed environment for deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications using Kubernetes.
• Use Cases: Managing microservices architecture, automating deployment, and scaling containerized applications.

4. Cloud Storage:

• Description: A scalable and secure object storage service. It is suitable for storing unstructured data such as images, videos, and backups.
• Use Cases: Data archiving, content delivery, and backup solutions.

5. BigQuery:

• Description: A serverless, highly scalable, and cost-effective multi-cloud data warehouse designed for business agility.
• Use Cases: Analyzing large datasets, performing complex queries, and real-time data analytics.

6. Cloud Functions:

• Description: A lightweight, event-driven compute service that allows you to run your code in response to events.
• Use Cases: Running small pieces of code (functions) in response to events such as changes in data or incoming HTTP requests.

7. Cloud Pub/Sub:

• Description: A messaging service for exchanging event data among applications and services.
• Use Cases: Building event-driven systems, streaming analytics, and integrating microservices.

8. Cloud SQL:

• Description: A fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
• Use Cases: Managing relational databases, running OLTP workloads, and storing application data.

Exercise: How to Access Google Cloud Platform

Step 1: Setting Up Your Account

1. Create a Google Cloud Account:

• Go to the Google Cloud Console.

https://console.cloud.google.com/ 

• Sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create it.

After login

2. Set Up Billing:

• Navigate to the “Billing” section in the Console.
• Add your billing information. Google offers a free tier with credits for new users, so you can explore many services without initial cost.

Choose billling from navigation menu

Billing Page

Step 2: Navigating the Google Cloud Console

1. Access the Console:

• Once signed in, you’ll be taken to the Google Cloud Console dashboard. This is the main interface for accessing GCP resources.

2. Use the Navigation Menu:

• On the left side, there is a navigation menu (hamburger icon) that provides access to various GCP services like Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, BigQuery, and more.

Use navigation menu

Various GCP Services

Step 3: Creating and Managing Resources

1. Compute Engine (Virtual Machines):
2. Navigate to “Compute Engine” > “VM instances.”

Compute Engine

• Enable API if it is requested.

Compute Engine

• Click “Create” to set up a new VM instance.

• Configure the instance (name, region, machine type) as shown below and click “Create.”

3. Cloud Storage (Buckets):

• Navigate to “Storage” > “Browser.”

• Click “Create bucket” and configure its settings (name, location, storage class).
• Click “Create” to set up the bucket.

4. Cloud Functions:

• Navigate to “Cloud Functions.”
• Click “Create Function” and configure the necessary details (name, runtime, trigger).
• Write your function code and deploy it.

Step 4: Managing IAM and Permissions

1. Access IAM & Admin:

• Navigate to “IAM & Admin” > “IAM.”
• You can manage user roles and permissions from here.

Google Cloud Platform provides a comprehensive suite of tools and services to build, deploy, and scale applications. By understanding the key resources available and knowing how to access and manage them, you can leverage GCP to meet your business and technical needs efficiently. Whether you’re hosting applications, storing data, or analyzing big data, GCP offers the flexibility and power to handle a wide range of cloud computing tasks.