Google Cloud Platform (GCP) – Database Fundamentals

January 26, 2026

Cloud SQL

Google Cloud offers Cloud SQL, a fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
It is designed to offload mundane operational tasks, meaning Google handles patching, updates, and backup management.
Key Features:
- No software installation or manual maintenance required.
- Highly scalable: Supports up to 128 processor cores, 864 GB of RAM, and 64 TB of storage.
- Supports automatic replication scenarios, including Cloud SQL primary instances, external primary instances, and external MySQL instances.
- The cost of an instance includes up to seven automated backups.
Security & Connectivity:
- Cloud SQL encrypts customer data both in transit (within Google's internal networks) and at rest (database tables, temporary files, and backups).
- Accessible by other Google Cloud services and external applications.
- Integration with App Engine using standard drivers (e.g., Python).
- Compute Engine instances can be authorized to access Cloud SQL; it is recommended to configure them in the same zone as your VM to minimize latency.
- Supports standard tools like SQL Workbench, Toad, and other external applications using standard drivers.

Cloud Spanner is a fully managed, enterprise-grade relational database service that provides horizontal scalability and strong consistency.
It uses standard SQL for queries and is "battle-tested" by Google’s own mission-critical services (powering multi-billion dollar businesses).
Ideal Use Cases:
- Applications requiring a relational database (RDBMS) with support for JOINS and secondary indexes.
- Scenarios demanding built-in High Availability (HA) and strong global consistency.
- High-performance workloads requiring massive Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS).