GCP
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) provides compute, networking, storage, and managed services with a strong focus on automation, Kubernetes, and data platform capabilities.
Part of my Infrastructure learning notes.
Core service map
| Area | GCP service |
|---|---|
| Virtual machines | Compute Engine |
| Kubernetes | Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) |
| Object storage | Cloud Storage |
| Networking | VPC, subnets, firewall rules |
| Identity | IAM |
| DNS | Cloud DNS |
| Monitoring | Cloud Monitoring / Logging |
Certification-aligned learning path
I’m certified in Google Associate Cloud Engineer and Google Generative AI Leader, and this page reflects the platform fundamentals those certifications emphasize:
- Projects, IAM, and service accounts
- Compute Engine deployment and access
- VPC networking and firewall rules
- Cloud Storage basics
- Monitoring and troubleshooting workflows
What infrastructure engineers should focus on
- Understand projects and IAM before deploying resources
- Learn VPC and subnet design early
- Practice VM deployment, SSH access, and disk management
- Compare GCP networking terminology with AWS and on-premises models
- Explore how GKE fits container strategy long term
GCP vs traditional infrastructure
| On-premises habit | GCP adjustment |
|---|---|
| Fixed host ownership | Ephemeral instances and autoscaling groups |
| Manual change control | API-driven infrastructure and automation |
| Hardware troubleshooting | Quota, IAM, routing, and service-level issues |
| Local patching windows | Image lifecycle and managed service updates |
Why GCP matters in hybrid environments
Even when most production systems remain on-premises, GCP skills help with:
- Disaster recovery targets
- Development and test environments
- Managed Kubernetes adoption
- Cloud-native tooling and automation patterns