CODEWITHSUNDEEP
mysqlgoogle-cloud-sql
Alex.Barylski
Alex.Barylski

Reputation: 2933

Single Cloud SQL or multiple databases?

Not sure how to ask this question, but as I understand google cloud SQL supports the idea of instances, which are located throughout their global infrastructure...so I can have a single database spread across multiple instances all over the world.

I have a a few geographic regions our app serves...the data doesn't really need to be aggregated as a whole and could be stored individually on separate databases in regions accordingly.

Does it make sense to serve all regions off one database/multiple instances? Or should I segregate each region into it's own database and host the data the old fashion way?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 4541

Answers (2)

Rahul
Rahul

Reputation: 116

If by “scaling” you mean memory size, then you can start with a smaller instance (less RAM) and move up to a more powerful instance (more RAM) later.

But if you mean more operations per second, there is a certain max size and max number of operations that one Cloud SQL instance can support. You cannot infinitely scale one instance. Internally the data for one instance is indeed stored over multiples machines, but that is more related to reliability and durability, and it does not scale the throughput beyond a certain limit.

If you really need more throughput than what one Cloud SQL instance can provide, and you do need a SQL based storage, you’ll have to use multiple instances (i.e. completely separate databases) but your app will have to manage them.

Note that the advantages of Cloud go beyond just scalability. Cloud SQL instances are managed for you (e.g. failover, backups, etc. are taken care of). And you get billing based on usage.

(Cloud SQL team)

Upvotes: 8

Rahul
Rahul

Reputation: 116

First, regarding the overall architecture: An "instance" in Google Cloud SQL is essentially one MySQL database server. There is no concept of "one database/multiple instances". Think of your Cloud SQL "instance" as the database itself. At any point in time, the data from a Cloud SQL instance is served out from one location -- namely where your instance happens to be running at that time. Now, if your app is running in Google App Engine or Google Compute Engine, then you can configure your Cloud SQL instance so that it is located close to your app.

Regarding your question of one database vs. multiple databases: If your database is logically one database and is served by one logical app, then you should probably have one Cloud SQL instance. (Again, think of one Cloud SQL instance as one database). If you create multiple Cloud SQL instances, they will be siloed from one another, and your app will have to do all the complex logic of managing them as completely different databases.

(Google Cloud SQL team)

Upvotes: 2

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