Google Cloud Computing Foundation Course - Week 5 Lecture Notes Summary

1. Storage Options in the Cloud

• Overview: GCP offers multiple storage solutions from object storage to managed
databases.
• Main Storage Categories:
1. Relational Databases: Cloud SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL) and Cloud Spanner.
2. NoSQL Databases: Cloud Datastore and Cloud Bigtable.
3. Enterprise Data Warehouse: BigQuery (handles large datasets for analytics).
• Three Key Use Cases for Cloud Storage:
1. Content Storage and Delivery: Suitable for serving images, videos, and files to
users across regions.
2. Storage for Data Analytics and Compute: Leverage cloud storage for analytics,
IoT, and genomics data.
3. Backup and Archival: Cost-effective options for infrequently accessed data and
disaster recovery.

2. Structured vs. Unstructured Storage in the Cloud

• Structured Data:
• Organized in a defined format, like rows and columns (e.g., databases,
spreadsheets).
• Easy to capture, analyze, and manipulate.
• Examples: names, addresses, and billing information.
• Unstructured Data:
• Accounts for 80% of all data, difficult to analyze using traditional methods.
• Examples: text, emails, multimedia (videos, photos), web pages.
• Increasing focus on mining unstructured data for insights.
• Storage Decision Tree:
• Unstructured Data: Cloud Storage for backups, logs, media.
• Structured Data: Cloud Bigtable and BigQuery for analytics.
• Relational Database: Cloud SQL or Cloud Spanner.
• NoSQL Database: Cloud Datastore for application data.

3. Cloud Storage for Unstructured Data

• Cloud Storage: A solution for storing and managing large amounts of object data (e.g.,
media, backups).
• Storage Classes:
1. Multi-Regional Storage:
• High redundancy across at least two locations.
 • Ideal for frequently accessed data (e.g., website content, videos).
2. Regional Storage:
• Stored in one geographic region, cheaper than multi-regional.
• Suitable for data analytics and machine learning.
3. Nearline Storage:
• Cost-effective for infrequently accessed data (accessed less than once a
month).
• Examples: file storage for monthly analysis, backups.
4. Coldline Storage:
• Lowest cost, ideal for archival and disaster recovery.
• Suitable for data accessed once a year or less.
• Unique Features of Cloud Storage:
1. Single API with low-latency access.
2. 99.999999999% durability across all storage classes.
3. Lifecycle Management: Automatically move data between classes based on
access frequency.

4. Cloud Databases and NoSQL Options

• Cloud Datastore: A NoSQL document store, ideal for handling web and mobile app
data.
• Cloud BigTable: Best suited for NoSQL database applications with high-throughput and
low-latency needs.
• Cloud Spanner: A horizontally scalable, fully managed relational database designed for
high availability and performance.

5. Data Management Features

• Cloud IAM (Identity and Access Management): Manage user access to objects and
buckets.
• Access Control Lists (ACLs): More fine-grained access control options (read, write
permissions).
• Object Versioning: Keeps a history of file modifications, supports rollback and deletion
of older versions.
• Bucket Organization: Data is organized into "buckets," each with a unique name and
assigned region.

6. Use Cases and Labs

• Hands-on labs include working with Cloud SQL, importing data, and performing data
analysis.
• App development involves storing data in Cloud Datastore and understanding its
scalability.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What is the focus of Module 5 in the Google Cloud Computing Foundation course?
• The focus is on leveraging managed storage and databases for cloud applications.
• What are the learning objectives for this module?
• To implement structured and unstructured storage models, compare different cloud
storage options, and understand relational vs. NoSQL databases.
• What are the main storage options in GCP?
• GCP offers object stores, relational databases like Cloud SQL, and NoSQL databases
like Cloud Datastore and BigTable.
• What are the three common use cases for cloud storage?
• Content storage and delivery, storage for analytics and compute, and backup/archival
storage.
• What does Cloud SQL offer?
• It provides managed services for relational databases, specifically MySQL and
PostgreSQL.
• What is Cloud Spanner?
• A horizontally scalable, highly available database service designed for mission-critical
applications.
• What is the difference between structured and unstructured data?
• Structured data is organized in a defined manner, like spreadsheets, while unstructured
data includes multimedia, emails, documents, and more.
• What are examples of structured data?
• Name, address, contact number, and billing information.
• Why is unstructured data difficult to process?
• It lacks a clear internal structure, making it hard to analyze using traditional methods.
• What is Google Cloud Storage used for?
• Storing and managing object data such as images, media files, backups, etc.
• What is the size limit for objects in Google Cloud Storage?
• Up to 5 terabytes per object.
• What is multi-regional storage?
• It stores data across multiple geographic regions to ensure high availability, ideal for
content frequently accessed worldwide.
• What is regional storage?
• It stores data in a specific region, offering less redundancy than multi-regional storage
but is ideal for analytics and machine learning.
• What is Nearline Storage?
• A low-cost storage option for data accessed less than once a month, useful for online
backups and analysis.
• What is Coldline Storage?
• A very low-cost service for data that is rarely accessed, ideal for archiving and disaster
recovery.
• What is object lifecycle management in Cloud Storage?
• It automates moving data to lower-cost storage as it's accessed less frequently.
• What are buckets in Cloud Storage?
• Buckets are containers used to organize files in Google Cloud Storage, each with a
globally unique name.
• What security features does Cloud Storage offer?
• Access is controlled via Cloud IAM or access control lists (ACLs), defining who can
perform actions on the bucket or object.
• What is object versioning in Cloud Storage?
• It keeps a history of modifications to objects, allowing users to restore previous versions
if needed.
• What is Cloud Datastore used for?
• It is a NoSQL document store ideal for web and mobile applications.
• What makes Cloud BigTable unique?
• It is a NoSQL database that is highly scalable and designed for big data use cases like
analytics.
• How does Cloud SQL differ from Cloud Spanner?
• Cloud SQL offers managed MySQL and PostgreSQL services, while Cloud Spanner is
designed for high availability and scalability with horizontal scaling.
• What is the use case for Cloud BigQuery?
• It is used for real-time analytics on large datasets.
• Why is backup and archival storage important in the cloud?
• It provides cost savings and ensures data is recoverable in case of loss or failure on-
premises.
• What are the key differences between relational and NoSQL databases?
• Relational databases use structured data with predefined schemas, while NoSQL
 databases are more flexible and handle unstructured or semi-structured data.
• What kind of storage is best for serving global website content?
• Multi-regional storage is ideal for this use case, offering redundancy and low-latency
access.
• What role does Cloud IAM play in Cloud Storage?
• It provides role-based access control across the project, bucket, and object levels.
• How can you reduce storage costs in Google Cloud?
• By using object lifecycle management to move data to cheaper storage classes based on
access frequency.
• What does the Cloud Storage API offer?
• A single API to access all storage classes with low-latency data access and high
durability.
• What does the minimum storage duration mean in Coldline storage?
• Data must be stored for at least 90 days in Coldline storage due to its low-cost and
archival focus.