Google Compute Engine
Secure and customizable compute service that lets you create and run virtual machines on Google’s high-performance global infrastructure.
Overview
Google Compute Engine (GCE) is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering that allows users to launch virtual machines (VMs) on demand. VMs can be launched from standard images or custom images created by users and can be managed through a RESTful API, command-line interface, or web console.
✨ Key Features
- Virtual machines for any workload
- Preset and custom machine configurations
- Autoscaling with managed instance groups
- Sole-tenant nodes for dedicated hardware
- Confidential VMs for data-in-use encryption
- Support for Linux and Windows
- Container support
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Live migration of VMs
- Per-second billing
- Access to Google's private global fiber network
- Custom machine types
Unique Value: Offers high-performance, scalable, and reliable virtual machines with flexible pricing and access to Google's global network.
🎯 Use Cases (6)
✅ Best For
- Running large-scale, compute-intensive workloads.
- Hosting scalable web applications with fluctuating traffic.
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Serverless applications (Cloud Run or Cloud Functions are better fits)
- Simple static website hosting (Cloud Storage is more cost-effective)
🏆 Alternatives
Provides more granular pricing with per-second billing and sustained use discounts, along with superior global networking capabilities.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Live Chat
- ✓ Phone Support
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Premium Support tier)
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
✓ 90-day free trial
Free tier: 1 e2-micro VM instance per month, 30 GB standard persistent disk, 1 GB network egress from North America.
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