Google Cloud Run: Committed Use Discounts & New Security

Cloud Run Gains Committed Use Discounts and Enhanced Security

Cloud Run, Google Cloud’s serverless compute platform designed for containerized applications, is now offering committed use discounts. Users committing to a yearly spending level will receive a 17% reduction on their committed funds.

This new discount structure mirrors similar pre-commitment options available for Compute Engine virtual machines, alongside the existing automatic “sustained use” discounts for instances running over 25% of a month.

New Security Features Introduced

Google Cloud is also bolstering Cloud Run’s security capabilities with several new features. These include the ability to securely mount secrets directly from Google Cloud Secret Manager.

Furthermore, binary authorization is now available, enabling the definition and enforcement of policies governing container deployment on the service.

Users can now also leverage and manage their own encryption keys, diverging from the default Google-managed keys. A new Recommendation Hub within Cloud Run provides tailored guidance on enhancing the security of deployed services.

A Vision for the Next Generation of Serverless

Aparna Sinha, recently appointed director of product management for Google Cloud’s serverless platform, highlighted these updates as integral to Google Cloud’s ambition to create the “next generation of serverless.”

“We are thrilled to unveil our evolved vision for serverless computing, which we believe will reshape the industry,” Sinha stated.

She explained that serverless is expanding beyond its traditional focus on functions and specific applications like web services. The goal is to deliver the developer experience and ease of use inherent in serverless, but on a far more versatile platform.

This broadened platform will support a wider range of application types, integrating Google’s approach to DevOps, security, and cloud services.

Increased Adoption and Real-Time Capabilities

Cloud Run experienced significant growth during the pandemic, attributed to businesses seeking faster application time-to-value.

Ikea, for instance, successfully utilized Google Cloud’s serverless platform to dramatically reduce the refresh time of its online store and inventory management system – from three hours to under three minutes.

“This exemplifies the power of serverless, particularly its ability to build real-time applications that leverage contextual data, inventory information, and customer insights for enhanced responsiveness,” Sinha commented.

She added that customers increasingly expect this level of reactivity, and serverless is ideally suited to meet these demands, especially in today’s volatile environment.

Flexibility and Modernization

The container-based model offers businesses considerable flexibility in application development and deployment, as Cloud Run is language-agnostic.

Consequently, Google is witnessing increased adoption from enterprises seeking to deploy new applications and modernize existing services.

Benefits for Predictable Workloads

The committed use discounts are particularly advantageous for organizations with predictable usage patterns. It is anticipated that more sophisticated organizations will be drawn to the newly introduced security enhancements.

“The next generation of serverless merges the strengths of serverless with containers, enabling the execution of a diverse range of applications without limitations regarding language, networking, or region,” Sinha noted in the official announcement.

“This evolution of serverless will empower developers to construct the innovative applications of the future—applications that readily adapt to change, scale dynamically, and respond to customer needs with greater speed and efficiency, all while providing an exceptional developer experience.”