Google Cloud has announced the launch of instant snapshots for Compute Engine, which provide near-instantaneous, high-frequency, point-in-time checkpoints of a disk that can be rapidly restored as needed. This will help businesses protect Compute Engine workloads from errors or corruption.
As a technical writer, I find this development to be particularly interesting. Many organizations struggle with downtime and data loss. The ability to create and restore instant snapshots could significantly mitigate these risks.
One specific example where instant snapshots could help is in a database application scenario. Imagine you have a large database that needs to be updated frequently. By creating an instant snapshot before each update, you could easily revert to a known working state if something goes wrong. This would minimize downtime and ensure that your data remains consistent.
Another noteworthy feature of instant snapshots is their ability to improve developer productivity. In rapid development cycles with long build times or complex code, accidental errors and build failures can increase the time it takes to complete work. With instant snapshots, developers can easily revert to a previous point in time, saving them time and effort.
Overall, instant snapshots for Compute Engine are a valuable addition to the Google Cloud toolkit. Their ability to provide fast and cost-effective recovery points makes them an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. I believe that this feature will have a major impact on how businesses protect and restore their workloads.
