Cloud SQL now supports private connections and App Engine second generation runtimes

Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service from Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that makes MySQL and PostgreSQL instances accessible from just about any application, anywhere. Today, we’re pleased to bring updates to the top-requested connection options for these instances:

• Private service access to your Cloud SQL instances is now generally available;
  
• Support now available for connecting second-generation App Engine standard environment runtimes with Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL.
  

Introducing private service access for GCP services

We’re introducing private service access, a new framework providing private connectivity to all your GCP services. It connects a virtual private cloud (VPC) network to a GCP service via VPC Network Peering. Cloud SQL is the first Google Cloud service to use this framework.

What is a private service connection?

A private service connection lets VM instances in your VPC network and the services that you access to communicate exclusively via internal (RFC 1918) IP addresses. To use this, you set up a private connection using VPC Network Peering between your VPC network and a network used by GCP managed services, such as Cloud SQL.

A private connection only needs to be set up once for GCP services. After it has been set up, more than one GCP service can use it, as shown here:

To get hands-on experience with private networking, check out the Connecting to Cloud SQL code lab.

Connect to Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL from the App Engine standard environment

In April, we announced the general availability of Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL, making one of the most popular open-source relational databases readily available on GCP. In August, we announced second-generation App Engine standard environment runtimes, allowing users to write more portable web apps and microservices while still maintaining the scalability, security, and pay-per-use features of the original App Engine.

Today, we are excited to bring these technologies closer together by announcing Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL support for the new App Engine runtimes. App Engine users can now connect quickly and securely to either Cloud SQL for MySQL or Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL instances in any of the supported standard environment runtimes (Go 1.11, Java 8, PHP 7, Python 3.7, and Node.js) or any of the currently existing flexible runtimes.

Getting started with Cloud SQL and App Engine

Want to try out Cloud SQL with App Engine? Sign up to receive $300 in credit for use with Cloud SQL and access to the App Engine always-free tier. Check out the Connecting from App Engine page for instructions and examples to connect your app and Cloud SQL.

What’s next for Cloud SQL

Support for private networking has been a top request from users and its general availability is an important milestone for Cloud SQL. You can look forward to more connectivity options, like Cloud VPN, in the future. Have more ideas? Let us know what other features and capabilities you need with our Issue Tracker and by joining the Cloud SQL discussion group. We’re glad you’re along for the ride, and we look forward to your feedback!