The Google Cloud Platform is unlike most other hosting providers so it is important to really be aware of what they offer, and what situations this service is needed for. The service is run by Google so it is obviously well-funded and has all the hardware and technology that anyone could ever use. They offer dozens of different services, all of which are excellent for meeting the needs of the specific audiences they are meant to serve.
Google Cloud Platform is not a hosting company that is used for a ‘normal’ website. The cloud hosting options are really focused on meeting the needs of large corporations like Spotify, Coca-Cola, and others. It can also be used just as cloud storage for people and companies that need to keep their documents securely in place off site.
Uptime & Reliability
Unbeatable Reliability
Google is known for many things, and one of them is stability. All the services provided by the Google Cloud Platform are going to have near perfect uptime. One of the biggest benefits of cloud services is that they don’t have any single points of failure, and there is on exception to working with the GCP. Your services can be processed from different Google data centers to help add redundancy and ensure everything is up and running perfectly at all times.
Features
Endless List of Features
Google Cloud Platform has many great features that you won’t find one most hosting companies. They have a really nice cloud SDK to make integration with apps and websites much easier for developers. They also have a variety of monitoring tools that helps to ensure all your services are up and running properly at all times. Their machine learning services can help you to make ‘bots’ for marketing, and a variety of other things too. You will also have access to their identity management and security suite that can help to prevent fraud, hacking, and other common issues.
Most people who are interested in hosting will be interested in their content delivery network (CDN) services. A CDN allows a website to be hosted in one place and then have large files or other features ‘delivered’ from the CDN. This is common with music files, pictures, videos, and other things that require a lot of bandwidth and processing power.
Support
Fast & Effective Support Team
Most people will never need to use the support system from Google since their services just work so well. If you run into any problems, however, the support team can walk you through how to get them fixed so you can be back up and running in no time. In most situations the support team will be there more for ‘training’ when you don’t know how to use a specific feature than to actually fix a problem. No matter your needs, however, you will have a great experience anytime you need help from this team of professionals.
Pricing
Great Pricing for All Their Services
The pricing is surprisingly affordable for the services you are getting. They don’t have any up-front costs so you can get started without any trouble. They reported that their prices for cloud services are, on average, 60% less expensive than with other companies. They also allow customers to pay as they go so the prices will reflect actual usage rather than a set monthly fee. In the event that you no longer need any of their services they don’t have any type of termination fees so there is no concern there.
User Friendly
Well Known for Customer Focus
Google always works hard to ensure their services are easy to use for all their customers. The Google Cloud Platform is certainly no exception. You can work through their website to find all the features you need, sign up in minutes, and have everything up and running. If you need help, they are available 24/7 to work with you and get everything setup the way you want it.
Summary
Top of the Line Cloud Services
For those who need a full cloud platform, it is hard to imagine one that is going to have more to offer than Google. They have been innovators in this industry since the beginning, and continue to push the envelope when it comes to coming up with new and helpful services that can help meet the needs of their customers.
Pros:
- Operated by Google
- Tons of Features
- Affordable Prices
Cons:
- Overkill for Many People
- Not Traditional Hosting