A Google Cloud IP address is a unique identifier assigned to a virtual machine (VM) or other Google Cloud resources, enabling them to communicate with other resources within and outside the Google Cloud platform.
Types of Google Cloud IP Addresses:
Google Cloud offers two main types of IP addresses:
- Internal IP Address: Used for communication between resources within the same Google Cloud project or VPC network.
- External IP Address: Used for communication between Google Cloud resources and external networks like the internet.
Key Features of Google Cloud IP Addresses:
- Dynamically Assigned: Google Cloud automatically assigns IP addresses to resources, eliminating the need for manual configuration.
- Ephemeral: IP addresses may change when resources are stopped and restarted, requiring the use of other mechanisms for persistent connections.
- Flexible: You can choose from a variety of IP address types to suit your specific needs, including static, ephemeral, and reserved.
- Secure: Google Cloud uses network security features like firewalls and network access control lists (ACLs) to protect your resources.
Practical Insights:
- You can use Google Cloud IP addresses to access your resources through the internet.
- You can use internal IP addresses to improve network performance and security within your Google Cloud environment.
- You can use static IP addresses to ensure consistent connectivity to your resources.
Example:
Let's say you have a web server running on a Google Cloud VM. This VM is assigned an external IP address, allowing users to access your website from anywhere on the internet.
