This article was published as a part of the Data Science Blogathon.
Introduction
The cloud market is increasingly competitive. While AWS and Microsoft are the leaders in market share, we’ve recently seen names like Oracle, IBM, and Google all working ambitiously to compete in the cloud market, each finding a foundation as a cloud. Adoption continues to expand. Under the leadership of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, the company is aggressively positioning its cloud offering with ambitions to poach leaders and scale the business quickly as it seeks to become a big Google unit and a profitable one.
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Cloud computing is defined as services offered through remote servers on the Internet. These services may include database storage, applications, computing power, and other IT resources on a pay-as-you-go approach. A remote server allows users to store, edit, or process data on the Internet or a cloud platform instead of storing it on a local server or device.
Cloud computing is evolving due to better manageability, fast performance, and less maintenance. It helps organizations minimize the number of resources and overall infrastructure costs. In addition, it helps IT teams better focus on critical applications, services, and processes and achieve company goals.
Cloud computing providers typically offer their services according to the following three standard models:
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Google Cloud Platform
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a cloud computing service provided by Google. GCP is a public cloud computing platform consisting of various services such as computing, storage, networking, application development, big data, and more that run on the cloud infrastructure that Google uses internally for its end-user products such as Google. Search, Photos, Gmail and YouTube, etc. GCP services can be accessed by cloud administrators, software developers, and IT professionals over the Internet
Why Google Cloud Platform?
GCP is known as one of the leading cloud providers in the IT field. Software developers and users with minimum technical knowledge can easily access and use services and features. Google is at the forefront of its competitors and offers a highly scalable and reliable platform for building, testing, and deploying applications in a real-time environment.
In addition, GCP was announced as a leading cloud platform in Gartner’s Infrastructure as a Service Magic Quadrant. Gartner is one of the leading research consulting companies. Gartner organized campaigns where Google Cloud Platform was compared with other cloud providers, and GCP was selected as one of the three best providers.
Companies use data centres because of the availability of cost forecasts, hardware security, and advanced control. However, they lack the necessary functions to operate and maintain resources in the data centre. GCP, on the other hand, is a full-featured cloud platform that includes the following:
- Capacity: Enough resources to easily scale whenever needed. Also, effective management of these resources for optimal performance.
- Security: Multi-layered security options to protect resources such as assets, networks, and OS components.
- Network infrastructure: The number of physical, logistical, and human resource-related components such as cabling, routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, etc.
- Support: Qualified experts for installation, maintenance, and support.
- Bandwidth: Appropriate amount of bandwidth for peak loads.
- Facilities: Other infrastructure components, including physical equipment and energy sources.
Therefore, the Google Cloud Platform is a viable option for businesses, especially if businesses require an extensive catalogue of services with global recognition.
Advantages of Google Cloud Platform
Some of the main advantages of the Google Cloud Platform are explained below:
Best prices: Google allows users to get Google Cloud hosting at the lowest prices. The hosting plans are cheaper than other hosting platforms and offer better features than others. GCP provides a pay-as-you-go option where users can pay separately for only the services and resources they want to use.
Work from anywhere: Once an account is configured on GCP, it can be accessed from anywhere. This means that a user can use GCP on different devices from different locations. This is possible because Google provides web applications that give users full access to GCP.
Private network: Google has its network that allows users more control over GCP features. Thanks to this, users achieve smooth performance and increased efficiency in the network.
Scalability: Users get a more scalable platform through a private network. Since Google uses fibre optic cables to extend its network reach, it will likely have greater scalability. Google is constantly working to scale its network because traffic can be anywhere.
Security: Google has a large number of security professionals. They always try to secure the network and protect the data stored on the servers. In addition, Google uses an algorithm that encrypts all data on the cloud platform. This gives users the confidence that their data is completely safe and protected from unauthorized sources.
Redundant backup: Google always backs up user data with built-in redundant backup. In case the user has lost the saved data, it is not a big problem. Google always has a copy of user data unless the data is forcibly deleted. This adds data integrity, durability, reliability, and with GCP.
Key Features of Google Cloud Platform
Below are some key features of the Google Cloud Platform:
- On-demand services: Automated environment with web tools. Thus, no human intervention is required to access the resources.
- Broad network access: Resources and information can be accessed from anywhere.
- Resource pooling: Availability of a shared pool of computing resources on demand to users.
- Rapid elasticity: Availability of multiple resources whenever needed.
- Metered service: Easy-to-Pay feature allows users to pay only for services consumed.
Operation of the Google Cloud Platform
When a file is uploaded to the Google cloud, unique metadata is embedded in the file. It helps identify different files and track changes made to all copies of a particular file. All individual changes are synchronized with the main file, also called the master file. GCP will also update all downloaded files with metadata to maintain the correct records.
Source: google.cloud.com
How GCP works with a General Example?
Assume that MS Office is implemented in the cloud to allow several people to work together. The primary goal of using cloud technology is to work on the same project simultaneously. Once we install the MS Office plugin, we can create and save a file in the cloud. This will give access to multiple people to edit the document at the same time. The owner can grant access to specific people so they can download and start editing the document in MS Office.
Once assigned as an editor, users can use and edit the cloud copy of the document as needed. A combined, edited copy is generated, called the master document. GCP helps assign a unique URL
to each specific copy of an existing document given to different users. However, any changes made by authorized users will be visible on all copies of documents shared in the cloud. If multiple changes are made to the same document, then GCP allows the owner to select the appropriate changes to keep.
Identity and Security Management
GCP includes the following services related to security and identity management:
- Cloud Data Loss Prevention API is primarily intended to manage sensitive data. It helps users to manage sensitive data elements like credit card details, debit card details, passport numbers, etc. It offers fast and scalable classification of sensitive data.
- Cloud IAM: Abbreviation for Cloud Access and Management. It is a framework that contains policies and rules and authenticates users to access technology resources.
Management Tools
It includes the following services related to management tools:
- Google Stackdriver: Google Stackdriver is primarily responsible for displaying overall performance and diagnostic information. This may include data monitoring, tracing, logging, error reporting, etc. The service will also prompt public cloud users for notifications.
- Google Cloud Console App: This is a native mobile application from Google. The main goal of this service is to allow users to manage the core functions of Google Cloud directly from their mobile devices anytime, anywhere. The main functions of this service are alerting, monitoring, and performing critical actions on resources.
Conclusion
In the Google Cloud Platform, unique metadata is embedded in the file when a file is uploaded to the Google cloud. It helps identify different files and track changes made to all copies of a particular file. All individual changes are synchronized with the main file, also called the master file. GCP will also update all downloaded files with metadata to maintain the correct records.
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a cloud computing service provided by Google. GCP is a public cloud computing platform consisting of various services such as computing, storage, networking, application development, big data, and more
- Once we install the MS Office plugin, we can create and save a file in the cloud. This will give access to multiple people to edit the document at the same time. The owner can grant access to specific people so they can download and start editing the document in MS Office.
- Google has a large number of security professionals. They always try to secure the network and protect the data stored on the servers. In addition, Google uses an algorithm that encrypts all data on the cloud platform.
Read ‘Movie Recommendation with SQL using Google Cloud Platform‘ on our blog.
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