Cloud SQL Guidelines for Cloud Database Administration

Cloud hosting is more common than ever. A growing number of organizations are resorting to cloud computing. Therefore, the market for cloud hosting services was over $405 billion last year and is growing around 19% a year through 2029.

As more companies become reliant on cloud computing, they need to find efficient ways to organize databases stored in the cloud. Fortunately, Google offers a solution known as Cloud SQL. Pearson, Macy's, DISH, and AAA use Cloud SQL to manage their cloud databases. However, smaller companies use more specialized services, such as Amnesty, which offers Magento Open Source solutions for eCommerce companies. You will need to follow the guidelines listed below to make the most of it.

What Is Cloud SQL, and How Can It Help With Cloud Database Administration?

Every day more companies are migrating their digital resources to the cloud. These companies have discovered the benefits of utilizing cloud environments for scalability and data preservation.

The growing array of resources being shifted to cloud networks has forced companies to rethink their database policies. Databases are widely used in the development of applications and websites since they allow organizations to store large amounts of information in an orderly manner.

Therefore, more companies are managing databases hosted in the cloud, with all the benefits that this entails. There are some cloud services that specialize in serving different markets. For example, Amnesty serves eCommerce companies using the cloud. On the other hand, Google and AWS offer cloud hosting services for more diverse types of organizations.

Google has simplified the cloud database administration process by offering a new service known as Cloud SQL, in addition to a wide portfolio of data solutions such as Bigtable and Cloud Spanner. Cloud SQL is a service integrated with the Google Cloud Platform that facilitates the configuration, management, storage, and maintenance of relational databases in the cloud.

Cloud SQL uses the latest Google Cloud Platform technology to add new functionalities, in addition to the features of SQL databases. For example, backup and replication or the implementation of updates and patches. All of these features are directly managed by Google.

You can use Cloud SQL with MySQL, PostgresSQL, or SQL Server. The service is also fully compatible with applications that use these databases. In addition, you can easily migrate any databases hosted locally or on traditional servers to the cloud environment of Google Cloud Platform with little downtime.

Key Features of Cloud SQL

Cloud SQL offers a number of valuable features in addition to those usually offered by traditional SQL databases. These services include the following:

• The Cloud SQL execution environment is managed with Linux.
• The environment is highly scalable. Depending on the requirements of our database, you can easily allocate more resources to it. These resources include a processor, RAM, and storage space.
• The platform offers a secure connection through SSL.
• Automatic and on-demand backups. Since the system is managed by Google, you will receive periodic backups of our database. You can recover a previous copy in the event of data loss. You can also generate a backup on demand.
• High availability. Like other Google Cloud Computing services, Cloud SQL offers a high availability environment of up to 99.95%.
• Replication and load balancing. Cloud SQL will automatically take care of generating new instances of our database when the volume of requests increases.
• Different connection options. You will be able to access and connect any database hosted in Cloud SQL through an app or website, including a traditional MySQL client or other Google tools such as Apps Script, Compute Engine, Kubernetes, or BigQuery.
• It offers easy management through a graphical interface or accessible from the command line / CLI. You can choose which of these options is best.

Cloud SQL is an ideal solution to make the most of SQL databases and take advantage of all the benefits provided by Google Cloud Platform. It is especially useful in environments with high volumes of requests thanks to its scalability and replication capacity.

What Is a Cloud Database?

Before you can use Cloud SQL effectively, you need to appreciate the importance of cloud databases in general. If you haven’t set one up before, the following information can prove helpful.

Cloud databases are a new storage modality that differs from traditional databases. Unlike traditional databases, cloud databases are not stored on a local computer or system but run from the infrastructure of a service provider. This storage system offers numerous advantages, including savings in space, time, and money.

How Does a Cloud Database Work?

A cloud database or DBaaS (Database as a Service) runs on a service provider's infrastructure. But how do you set up a database in the cloud? There are two main modalities:

1. The first option is to use a service provider that offers the physical infrastructure and the database but allows the customer full management of the stored information. This is where Cloud SQL becomes so helpful.
2. Another option is to perform integral management of the stored content to offer the physical infrastructure and the database, the provider.

The first option listed above is the most common, although the second can be especially useful for small companies or businesses that do not have experience in database management.