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Four years after launching its Cloud SQL managed MySQL database service, Google on Dec. 10 announced the beta availability of what it described as a second-generation version of the service.
The updated service leverages improvements in Google’s Compute Engine hosted cloud infrastructure service and disk storage capabilities to deliver better scalability and performance per dollar, Google Product Manager Brett Hesterberg wrote in a blog post.
According to Hesterberg, Google’s second-generation Cloud SQL service is seven times faster than its predecessor and scales to 10 terabytes of data and 104GB of memory per instance, both of which are well beyond what was offered with the first generation of Cloud SQL.
Cloud SQL is a fully managed service that lets enterprises hand over to Google the task of administering and managing MySQL databases. As part of the service, Google manages tasks such as backups, data replication, data recovery and business continuity. Google also assumes responsibility for applying any security patches and software updates on behalf of enterprises that are using the service.
The updated service offers improvements on multiple fronts, according to Hesterberg.
Google’s support for MySQL Wire Protocol and other open standard technologies like Connector/NET and Connector/ODBC means enterprises will be able to access their managed SQL database from almost any Internet-connected client and application.
This includes applications running on Google Compute Engine and Managed VMs. Currently, only Google’s first-generation Cloud SQL service offers connectivity from Google App engine, but that will change soon, Hesterberg said.
Administrators will be able to use standard tools such as MySQL Workbench and the MySQL command-line tool to manage their Cloud SQL databases from any client. “Because we embrace open standards by supporting MySQL Wire Protocol, the standard connection protocol for MySQL databases, you can access your managed Cloud SQL database from just about any application, running anywhere,” Hesterberg said.
Google Cloud SQL also allows administrators to use a command-line interface or tools like Cloud Console, the company’s browser-based admin panel, to shut down or power up SQL database instances as needed to accommodate fluctuating requirements. The goal is to make it easier for enterprises to optimize database use by running them on an as-needed basis.
During the beta period, Google is offering all customers what it describes as a sustained use discount—a discount that basically increases the more an enterprise uses the service. Everyone who tries the new service in the beta phase will receive the maximum discount regardless of how much they actually use the service.
Because Cloud SQL has a pay-as-you-go model, enterprises are not required to commit to contracts. Those who run their databases on a continuous basis will generally get the best Cloud SQL price, Hesterberg said. Those who use them intermittently will be charged by the minute for their usage. “No commitment, no strings attached,” he wrote.
Businesses looking for help migrating their data to Cloud SQL can tap the services of companies such as Attunity, xPlenty and Talend, all of whom have partnerships with Google. Similar Google partnerships with other vendors like Bime, Tableau, ScaleArc and WebYog are aimed at helping companies in areas like data visualization and database monitoring, Hesterberg said.