Creating and Administering Google Cloud Spanner Instances from Pluralsight

This course covers practical aspects of working with Cloud Spanner, Google’s proprietary relational database management system (RDBMS) service. It is the only globally distributed, strongly consistent RDBMS with horizontal scaling.

Relational Databases have traditionally relied on vertical scaling, but Google’s Cloud Spanner is carefully architected to provide horizontal scaling and global replication with all the rigors of strong consistency. Because Spanner is such a unique product, getting the best out of it does require you to understand its subtleties. In this course, Creating and Administering Google Cloud Spanner Instances, you will gain the ability to identify when Spanner is the right tool for you, and then correctly design your data and configure your instance to get the best out of Spanner’s formidable capabilities. First, you will learn where Cloud Spanner fits in the suite of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) storage technologies and how it compares to BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and others. Next, you will discover Spanner’s data model and how it enables horizontal scaling. Finally, you will explore how to use Spanner in conjunction with other GCP services, notably Dataflow templates, for migrating data into Spanner. When you are finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of Cloud Spanner needed to architect solutions to problems that require global replication, strong consistency, and horizontal scaling in a relational database management system (RDBMS).

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Getting Started with Cloud Spanner

Creating and Managing Tables in Cloud Spanner

Integrating Cloud Spanner with Other Google Cloud Services

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Teaches Cloud Spanner’s unique capabilities as a horizontally scalable, globally distributed RDBMS

Explores Cloud Spanner’s architectural strengths in horizontal scaling and global replication

Taught by Vitthal Srinivasan, a recognized expert in Cloud Spanner

Examines practical applications of Cloud Spanner, integrating it with Dataflow templates for data migration

Provides a strong foundation for architects seeking to implement globally replicated, strongly consistent RDBMS solutions

Reviews summary

Mastering google cloud spanner fundamentals

According to students, this course offers a largely positive learning experience, particularly excelling in providing a strong foundational understanding of Google Cloud Spanner. Learners praise the well-structured content and clear explanations, which help demystify Spanner's unique architecture and its place within the GCP ecosystem. The hands-on labs and practical examples are frequently highlighted as highly beneficial. While effective for beginners to intermediate users, some indicate it leans more towards an introduction and may require supplementary material for advanced administration or deeper performance tuning.

Well-structured content with clear and concise explanations.

"The content was well-structured, starting from the basics and moving to advanced administration topics."

"The instructor's explanations were clear and concise, making complex concepts easy to grasp."

"The logical flow of topics from theory to practical application is commendable."

Valuable hands-on labs and practical demonstrations.

"I particularly appreciated the hands-on labs, which solidified my understanding of how Spanner works in a real-world scenario."

"The practical examples and demonstrations were spot on, really helping me in an ongoing project."

"Fantastic course! The explanations are very clear, and the labs are perfect for hands-on learning."

Clearly explains Spanner's architecture and when to use it.

"This course incredibly valuable. It clearly articulates when to use Spanner over other GCP databases..."

"I particularly appreciated understanding Spanner's unique distributed architecture and strong consistency model."

"The course helps me understand Spanner's place in the GCP ecosystem. I liked the focus on data modeling."

"It covers the core concepts of Spanner effectively. I now feel confident in discussing and designing solutions."

Occasional minor issues with lab environments noted.

"A few of the lab environments had minor issues, requiring some troubleshooting that wasn't covered."

"My only minor critique is that some parts could benefit from more detailed troubleshooting guides for common issues."

Some sections felt rushed, especially on Dataflow integration.

"I felt the pace was a bit too fast in some sections, especially if you're not already familiar with distributed databases."

"Some of the content, particularly the Dataflow section, felt a bit rushed."

"While the integration part was interesting, it felt like it glossed over some deeper integration patterns."

Good for beginners but less comprehensive for advanced administration.

"Honestly, I was expecting more advanced administration techniques. The 'administering' part in the title is a bit misleading."

"I felt some parts, especially around performance tuning and more complex query patterns, could have been expanded upon."

"This course is well-designed for beginners to intermediate users of GCP who want to understand Spanner."

"It’s a good starting point, but not comprehensive enough for true expert-level administration."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Creating and Administering Google Cloud Spanner Instances with these activities:

Compile a resource list for learning Cloud Spanner

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Resource lists provide quick references to aid in future learning and exploration of related topics.

Browse courses on Cloud Spanner

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Search for articles, tutorials, and documentation about Cloud Spanner
Organize the resources by topic or category
Include a brief description for each resource

Review 'Designing Data-Intensive Applications' by Martin Kleppmann

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of data-intensive applications and will aid in understanding Cloud Spanner's unique features and architectural choices.

View Secret Colors on Amazon

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Read Chapter 4: Managing Data at Massive Scale
Read Chapter 15: Global Systems
Complete the exercises at the end of each chapter

Follow Google Cloud tutorials on Cloud Spanner

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Reviewing official tutorials will solidify concepts covered in this course.

Browse courses on Cloud Spanner

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Complete the 'Creating your first Cloud Spanner instance' tutorial
Complete the 'Writing your first queries' tutorial
Explore other Cloud Spanner tutorials

Six other activities

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Complete tutorial for migrating data into Cloud Spanner from Cloud SQL

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Migration is a core use case and this tutorial will help solidify understanding of how to use Cloud Spanner in production.

Browse courses on Cloud SQL

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Follow the steps in https://cloud.google.com/spanner/docs/mysql-to-spanner
Test the migrated data
Document the migration process

Discuss Cloud Spanner best practices with peers

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Peer discussions facilitate a deeper understanding of the material through exchange of different perspectives.

Browse courses on Cloud Spanner

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Find a study partner or group
Choose a topic to discuss
Prepare for the discussion
Participate in the discussion

Design a single-region database for a high-transaction e-commerce website

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This will help reinforce database design principles and an understanding of Spanner's capabilities and limitations.

Browse courses on Database Design

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Model the data entities and their relationships
Identify the performance and consistency requirements
Select and suggest indices
Configure the database and test it

Write a short article on 'Using Cloud Spanner for Global Data Replication'

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Writing an article will help reinforce understanding and develop communication skills.

Browse courses on Cloud Spanner

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Research the topic
Outline the article
Write the article
Proofread and edit the article

Create a sample application that integrates Cloud Spanner with another Google Cloud service

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This will help build a practical understanding of how to use Cloud Spanner with other Google Cloud services.

Browse courses on Cloud Spanner

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Choose a Google Cloud service to integrate with, such as Cloud Functions or Cloud Pub/Sub
Design and implement the integration
Test the integrated system

Contribute to an open-source Cloud Spanner project

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Contribute to open-source to broaden real-world experience and deepen understanding of the technology.

Browse courses on Cloud Spanner

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Find an open-source project related to Cloud Spanner
Identify an issue or feature to work on
Contribute to the project
Test and submit your changes

Career center

Learners who complete Creating and Administering Google Cloud Spanner Instances will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Architect

Data Architects are responsible for designing and managing data systems for an organization. They work with business stakeholders to understand data needs and then design and implement data solutions that meet those needs. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure data systems. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Data Architect.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Architect

Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases. They ensure that databases are running smoothly and that data is safe and secure. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure data systems. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Database Administrator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Data Engineer

Data Engineers are responsible for building and maintaining data pipelines. They work with data from a variety of sources to create data sets that can be used for analysis and reporting. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure data pipelines. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Data Engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. They work with a variety of programming languages and technologies to create software that meets the needs of users. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure software applications. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Software Engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Cloud Architect

Cloud Architects design and manage cloud computing solutions for organizations. They work with a variety of cloud computing technologies to create solutions that meet the needs of businesses. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure cloud computing solutions. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Cloud Architect.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve business problems. They work with a variety of data analysis techniques to identify trends and patterns in data. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to store and manage large amounts of data. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Data Scientist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Business Analyst

Business Analysts work with businesses to identify and solve problems. They use a variety of data analysis techniques to understand the needs of businesses and then develop solutions that meet those needs. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to store and manage large amounts of data. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Business Analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for software and other technical products. They work with engineers and other technical experts to understand the products they are documenting and then write clear and concise documentation that can be used by users. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure software applications. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Technical Writer.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan and execute projects. They work with a variety of stakeholders to define the scope of a project, develop a project plan, and track the progress of a project. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure software applications. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Project Manager.

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Product Manager

Product Managers work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and launch new products. They work with engineers, designers, and marketers to define the features of a product, develop a marketing strategy, and launch the product to market. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure software applications. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Product Manager.

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Sales Engineer

Sales Engineers work with customers to sell software and other technical products. They work with customers to understand their needs and then develop and implement solutions that meet those needs. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure software applications. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Sales Engineer.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers plan and execute marketing campaigns. They work with a variety of stakeholders to define the target market for a product, develop a marketing strategy, and execute marketing campaigns. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to build scalable, reliable, and secure software applications. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Marketing Manager.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers work with employees and managers to manage the human resources of an organization. They work with employees to recruit, hire, and train new employees. They also work with managers to develop and implement HR policies. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to store and manage large amounts of data. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Human Resources Manager.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts work with businesses to analyze financial data. They use a variety of financial analysis techniques to identify trends and patterns in financial data. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to store and manage large amounts of financial data. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as a Financial Analyst.

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Accountant

Accountants work with businesses to manage their finances. They work with businesses to prepare financial statements, file taxes, and audit financial records. Cloud Spanner is a powerful database management system that can be used to store and manage large amounts of financial data. This course will teach you how to create and administer Cloud Spanner instances, which will give you the skills you need to be successful as an Accountant.

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