What’s New with Google Data Cloud

Google Cloud continually updates its Data Cloud services, providing new features, enhancements, and integrations. This article summarizes key announcements and improvements made between late July and late October, 2024. These updates span various services, including Cloud SQL, AlloyDB, BigQuery, and others, aimed at improving performance, security, and user experience.

Cloud SQL Enhancements

Cloud SQL has seen significant upgrades, particularly in features related to data recovery, connection management, and security. In October, the introduction of point-in-time recovery (PITR) for deleted instances addressed compliance and disaster recovery needs. This feature is crucial for managing accidental deletions and ensuring data integrity. Users can leverage existing PITR clone API and getLatestRecoveryTime API for deleted instances, with the recovery window varying based on log retention policies.

Also, the Precheck API for Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL improves major version upgrades by proactively identifying potential incompatibilities, thus preventing downtime. This feature directly addresses customer requests for a precheck utility to identify and resolve upgrade issues.

Furthermore, Cloud SQL now supports Managed Connection Pool (in GA) across MySQL and PostgreSQL. Managed Connection Pooling optimizes resource utilization for Cloud SQL instances, enhancing scalability. IAM authentication is also available for secure connections. Read more about this feature in the provided guide.

AlloyDB Updates

AlloyDB continues to evolve with new features designed to improve database performance and integration capabilities. Notably, AlloyDB now supports the tds_fdw extension, enabling direct access to SQL Server and Sybase databases. This streamlines database migrations and allows hybrid data analysis. AlloyDB is also offering general availability for PostgreSQL 17, bringing improvements such as enhanced query performance, incremental backup capabilities, and improved JSON data type handling.

AlloyDB also saw the C4A Axion processor support in GA, providing improved performance and price-performance, along with a 50% reduced entry price for development environments. Additionally, Parameterized Secured Views (now in Preview) in AlloyDB provides application data security and row access control using SQL views.

BigQuery Innovations

BigQuery has introduced several enhancements, including a redesigned “Add Data” experience to simplify data ingestion. This update streamlines the process of choosing from various ingestion methods, making it more intuitive for users to bring data into BigQuery. BigQuery also offers soft failover, which gives administrators options over failover procedures, minimizing data loss during planned activities. The BigQuery AI Hackathon encouraged users to build solutions using Generative AI, Vector Search, and Multimodal capabilities.

Other Notable Updates

Several other Google Cloud services have received updates. Firestore with MongoDB compatibility is now generally available (GA), allowing developers to build cost-effective and scalable applications using a familiar MongoDB-compatible API. The Database Migration Service (DMS) offers support for Private Service Connect (PSC) interfaces for homogenous migrations to Cloud SQL and AlloyDB.

The introduction of Pub/Sub Single Message Transforms (SMTs), specifically JavaScript User-Defined Functions (UDFs), allows for real-time data transformations within Pub/Sub. The Serverless Spark is now generally available directly within BigQuery, reducing TCO and providing strong performance. The Bigtable Spark connector is now GA, opening up possibilities for Bigtable and Apache Spark applications.

Conclusion

Google Cloud continues to enhance its data services with features designed to improve performance, security, and integration capabilities. These updates provide users with the tools they need to manage, analyze, and secure their data effectively. Staying informed about these changes is crucial for optimizing data workflows and leveraging the full potential of Google Cloud’s data solutions.

Source: Google Cloud Blog

What’s New with Google Cloud: Your Monthly Roundup

Stay informed with the latest happenings in Google Cloud. This article serves as your go-to resource for recent updates, announcements, new resources, and upcoming events. Check back regularly to stay in the know.

Recent Updates

Multi-Agent AI Systems

Google Cloud is enhancing its multi-agent AI systems. These systems optimize complex processes by breaking them into tasks executed by specialized AI agents. A reference architecture guide is available to assist with building secure and reliable systems. Design guides are also available to help choose the right agent design patterns.

Koog Supports Agent2Agent Protocol (A2A)

Koog now supports A2A, enabling direct communication between agents across companies and clouds. This support provides Kotlin developers with enterprise-grade AI capabilities. Build sophisticated agents that discover and collaborate with other services, utilizing Google Cloud’s AI models.

Grounding with Google Maps is GA

Grounding with Google Maps in Vertex AI is now generally available. This feature allows developers to build generative AI applications connected to real-world information from Google Maps.

Production-ready YOLO Model Training

A guide is available on Vertex AI for training a custom YOLO model. It covers the complete workflow, from custom training jobs to model registration in the Vertex AI Model Registry.

Scaling Inference To Billions of Users

Google Cloud provides an architecture to serve AI models at a planetary scale. The article details how the ecosystem provides a production-ready path. It explores the technical deep-dive.

Confidential Computing Updates

New capabilities are available to protect sensitive data. This includes Confidential GKE Nodes, Confidential Space, and Confidential GPUs. Expansion of Intel TDX to more regions is also announced.

Firestore with MongoDB Compatibility

Firestore with MongoDB compatibility is now generally available. Developers can utilize existing MongoDB application code, drivers, and tools with Firestore’s serverless service.

Earth Engine in BigQuery

Earth Engine in BigQuery is now Generally Available, bringing advanced geospatial analytics directly to BigQuery workflows.

New HPC VM and Slurm-gcp Images

New HPC VM Image and Slurm images have been released to deploy Slurm-ready clusters on GCP, providing an HPC-optimized foundation.

Gemini Embedding Model Scaling

Following its General Availability launch in May, quota and input size limits for the Gemini embedding model have increased. Customers can now send up to 250 input texts per request.

GKE Node Memory Swap

GKE Standard nodes now offer swap space in private preview to provide a buffer against Out-of-Memory errors.

GKE Topology Manager

GKE Topology Manager is now GA to optimize performance through NUMA alignment.

GKE NodeConfig Expansion

GKE has expanded node customization capabilities, adding nearly 130 new Sysctl and Kubelet configurations.

New Capability for Managing Licenses

A new capability in Compute Engine allows users to change OS licenses on their VMs.

GKE Turns 10 Hackathon

Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a hackathon. Submissions are open from August 18, 2025 to September 22, 2025.

C4 VMs with Local SSD

C4’s expanded shapes are now GA! This expansion introduces C4 shapes with Google’s next-gen Titanium Local SSD, C4 bare metal instances, and new extra-large shapes, all powered by the latest Intel Xeon 6 processors, Granite Rapids.

DMS SQL Server to PostgreSQL Migrations

DMS SQL Server to PostgreSQL migrations are now generally available.

Stay Updated

This overview covers a selection of recent updates. Keep checking back for the latest announcements and developments in Google Cloud.