Item: Google Compute Engine
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We run a number of services via Google Compute Engine, particularly beta and support services as adjunct to our standard Kubernetes deployments. Google Compute Engine is very useful for prototyping and deployments with specific needs. Google Compute Engine allows us to use consistent deployment practices while still allowing experimentation outside of GKE (for example, via IAC/Terraform/Helm).

Pros and Cons

Easy deployment
Easy configuration
Custom control over hosts (compared to Kube)

UI very basic
Analytics could be better

Return on Investment

agility in deploying new services
prototyping support

Performance

Performance is generally acceptable, but dependent on the resource allocation.

Reliability and Availability

occasional blips but only when GCP as a whole was having issues

Alternatives Considered

Google Kubernetes Engine and Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS)

Google Compute Engine is a different animal than GKE, used for different purposes. Compares 1:1 with ECS, and is an equivalent product.

Key Insights

Do you think Google Compute Engine delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Google Compute Engine's feature set?

Yes

Did Google Compute Engine live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Google Compute Engine go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Google Compute Engine again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Google Kubernetes Engine, Google Cloud Run, Google Cloud Functions

Likelihood to Recommend

Google Compute Engine works well in scenarios where horizontal scaling isn't important, where more detailed control over host parameters is required, and for one-off experimentation. It works less will when horizontal scaling is important (especially when compared to Kubernetes on Google Kubernetes Engine). It also may require more management overhead than something like GKE, depending on your deployment practices.

Quality product, comparable to ECS

Overall Satisfaction with Google Compute Engine