Google Cloud Interconnect is a service that enables you to establish private, low-latency, and high-throughput connections between your on-premises infrastructure and Google Cloud Platform. It is designed to improve the performance, security, and reliability of your hybrid cloud deployments. In this explanation, we will cover important topics, including types of interconnect, use cases, configuration, pricing, and best practices.
1. Types of Google Cloud Interconnect
There are two main types of Google Cloud Interconnect:
a. Dedicated Interconnect: Provides dedicated, high-speed connections between your on-premises network and Google Cloud. It offers a direct physical connection to Google’s network, with speeds ranging from 10 Gbps to 100 Gbps per link.
b. Partner Interconnect: Allows you to connect to Google Cloud through a supported service provider. It is a suitable option if you cannot establish a direct connection to Google’s network or if you require lower capacity than Dedicated Interconnect provides.
2. Use Cases
Some common use cases for Google Cloud Interconnect include:
- Running hybrid cloud workloads that require low-latency and high-throughput connections between on-premises and cloud infrastructure.
- Migrating large amounts of data from on-premises to Google Cloud.
- Ensuring a more consistent network experience for latency-sensitive applications.
- Enhancing security by keeping sensitive data off the public internet.
3. Configuration and Setup
To set up Google Cloud Interconnect, follow these steps:
a. Choose the type of interconnect (Dedicated or Partner) based on your requirements and network infrastructure. b. Create a Cloud Interconnect connection in the Google Cloud Console or using the Google Cloud CLI. c. Configure your on-premises network and routing to connect to the Google Cloud Interconnect point of presence (PoP) using BGP (Border Gateway Protocol). d. Set up Google Cloud VPC networks and subnets to route traffic between your on-premises network and Google Cloud resources.
4. Networking and Routing
Google Cloud Interconnect uses BGP for dynamic routing between your on-premises network and Google Cloud. You must configure BGP sessions on both your on-premises routers and Google Cloud routers. Additionally, you should configure Cloud Router in your Google Cloud VPC to exchange routes with your on-premises routers using BGP.
5. Security and Encryption
Google Cloud Interconnect provides a private connection between your on-premises network and Google Cloud, which helps enhance the security of your data. However, data transmitted over Cloud Interconnect is not encrypted by default. If you require encryption for sensitive data, you should implement encryption at the application layer or use a VPN tunnel over the interconnect.
6. Monitoring and Logging
You can use Google Cloud Monitoring and Cloud Logging to monitor the performance, usage, and status of your Cloud Interconnect connections. These tools provide insights into latency, throughput, and error rates, helping you identify and resolve any issues.”
