Selecting Compute Choices for Workloads - GCP Associate Cloud Engineer Guide
Why is This Important?
Selecting the right compute option is fundamental to building cost-effective, scalable, and performant cloud solutions. The GCP Associate Cloud Engineer exam heavily tests your ability to match workload requirements with appropriate compute services. Making the wrong choice can lead to over-provisioning, unnecessary costs, or performance bottlenecks.
What Are the Compute Options in GCP?
Google Cloud Platform offers several compute services, each designed for specific use cases:
1. Compute Engine (VMs)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- Full control over operating system and configuration
- Best for: lift-and-shift migrations, custom applications, legacy workloads
- Machine types: general-purpose, compute-optimized, memory-optimized, GPU-enabled
2. Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
- Container orchestration platform
- Best for: containerized microservices, hybrid deployments, applications requiring portability
- Offers Autopilot mode for hands-off cluster management
3. Cloud Run
- Fully managed serverless container platform
- Best for: stateless containers, HTTP-driven applications, event-driven workloads
- Scales to zero when not in use
4. Cloud Functions
- Function as a Service (FaaS)
- Best for: event-driven processing, lightweight APIs, glue code between services
- Supports Node.js, Python, Go, Java, and more
5. App Engine
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Standard Environment: sandboxed, fast scaling, limited language support
- Flexible Environment: Docker containers, more languages, custom runtimes
- Best for: web applications, mobile backends
How to Select the Right Compute Option
Consider these factors when making your decision:
Control vs. Management Overhead
- Need full OS control? → Compute Engine
- Want managed containers? → GKE or Cloud Run
- Prefer code-only focus? → Cloud Functions or App Engine
Workload Characteristics
- Stateful applications → Compute Engine or GKE with persistent volumes
- Stateless HTTP services → Cloud Run or App Engine
- Event-triggered tasks → Cloud Functions
- Batch processing → Compute Engine with preemptible VMs or GKE
Scaling Requirements
- Predictable scaling → Compute Engine with managed instance groups
- Rapid auto-scaling → Cloud Run, Cloud Functions, or App Engine
- Complex orchestration → GKE
Cost Considerations
- Pay only for execution time → Cloud Functions, Cloud Run
- Sustained use discounts → Compute Engine
- Committed use discounts → Compute Engine, GKE
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Selecting Compute Choices
1. Look for keywords in the question:
- 'Containers' or 'Docker' → Think GKE or Cloud Run
- 'Serverless' or 'no infrastructure management' → Cloud Functions, Cloud Run, or App Engine
- 'Full control' or 'custom OS' → Compute Engine
- 'Event-driven' or 'trigger' → Cloud Functions
- 'Microservices' → GKE or Cloud Run
2. Eliminate based on constraints:
- If the question mentions needing to minimize operational overhead, eliminate Compute Engine first
- If portability between clouds is mentioned, consider GKE or Cloud Run
- If the workload is stateful, be cautious with serverless options
3. Cost optimization hints:
- Sporadic traffic patterns → serverless options (scale to zero)
- Steady-state workloads → Compute Engine with committed use discounts
- Fault-tolerant batch jobs → preemptible or spot VMs
4. Remember the hierarchy:
- Most managed: Cloud Functions → Cloud Run → App Engine → GKE Autopilot → GKE Standard → Compute Engine: Least managed
5. Common exam scenarios:
- Web application with variable traffic → App Engine or Cloud Run
- Legacy application migration → Compute Engine
- Microservices architecture → GKE
- Image processing on upload → Cloud Functions
- Stateless API with unpredictable traffic → Cloud Run
Quick Reference Decision Tree
Do you need full OS control? → Compute Engine
Is it containerized? → Do you need orchestration? → GKE | Just need to run containers? → Cloud Run
Is it a simple function triggered by events? → Cloud Functions
Is it a web application? → App Engine