This article was published on October 30, 2013

Google adds native MySQL connections to Cloud SQL, letting developers manage and deploy their cloud databases


Google adds native MySQL connections to Cloud SQL, letting developers manage and deploy their cloud databases

Google today announced it has added support for native MySQL connections to its Cloud SQL service. As such, the fully managed MySQL service hosted on Google Cloud Platform is getting a significant expansion with support for the MySQL Wire Protocol.

The protocol will let developers access their replicated, managed, Cloud SQL database from almost any application, regardless of where it’s running. More specifically, Google lists the following top features enabled by the MySQL Wire Protocol:

  • Low latency connections from applications running on Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine.
  • Use all your favourite tools such as MySQL Workbench, Toad and the MySQL command-line tool to manage your Cloud SQL instances.
  • Use standard drivers, such as Connector/J, Connector/ODBC, and Connector/NET, making it exceptionally easy to access Cloud SQL from most applications.
  • Replication to external MySQL databases for low latency connections and easy migration.

Last but certainly not least, native connectivity means developers gain the ability to manage and deploy their own cloud databases. Of course, that’s entirely optional: Cloud SQL can continue to be used as just a MySQL database that lives in Google’s cloud.

While this update isn’t as big as Google’s last update to Cloud SQL (10 times more storage, faster reads, faster writes, EU datacenter availability, and integration with Google Apps Script), it does significantly change the product. The question is: how will Google convince developers to try it?

Google used to offer a six-month Cloud SQL trial that started you off with one Cloud SQL instance and 0.5GB of storage. Unfortunately, it expired on June 1, 2013, so you’ll have to pay up to give it a test drive.

See also – Google introduces six-month trial for Cloud SQL, ups storage 10x to 100GB, adds EU datacenter and Google debuts four-tiered 24/7 support for its cloud platform services, prices start at $0 to $400 per month

Top Image Credit: Maksym Darakchi

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