GCP Platform Engineer


The GCP Platform Engineer Learning Path equips professionals with the skills needed to design, automate, and manage scalable cloud environments on Google Cloud. This course covers core GCP services, networking, security, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Deployment Manager and Terraform, and CI/CD implementation using Cloud Build. Participants will gain hands-on experience in monitoring, cost optimization, and governance while learning to build resilient, high-availability architectures. Through real-world projects and a capstone challenge, learners will deploy and maintain secure cloud solutions, integrating automation and operational best practices. This program is ideal for engineers looking to master GCP platform engineering and prepare for Google Cloud certifications.



What You Will Learn

  • GCP Platform Engineering Fundamentals: Understand the role of a GCP Platform Engineer, including infrastructure design, automation, and operational excellence within Google Cloud’s global infrastructure.
  • Core GCP Services & Networking: Dive into essential services such as Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, and VPC, and master networking essentials like VPC configuration, subnets, firewall rules, and load balancing.
  • Compute, Serverless & Container Orchestration: Learn to deploy and manage virtual machines, managed instance groups, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), and serverless solutions like Cloud Functions and Cloud Run.
  • Storage, Databases & Data Management: Gain expertise in Cloud Storage solutions, relational and NoSQL database services, and strategies for data integration, migration, and backup.
  • Infrastructure as Code & Automation: Master resource provisioning using GCP Deployment Manager and Terraform, enhance automation with scripting, and orchestrate tasks using Cloud Functions and Cloud Scheduler.
  • CI/CD on GCP: Build automated pipelines with Cloud Build, Container Registry, and Cloud Source Repositories while integrating testing, security scans, and quality checks into your workflows.
  • Monitoring, Logging & Observability: Utilize the GCP Operations Suite (Cloud Monitoring, Logging, and Trace) to set up dashboards, alerts, and troubleshoot performance issues.
  • Cost Optimization & Governance: Learn to manage and optimize cloud expenses using GCP cost management tools, implement resource governance with labeling, and forecast budgets effectively.
  • Advanced Architecture & Design Patterns: Explore resilient design patterns, multi-region and hybrid deployment strategies, and emerging trends in GCP to build scalable, fault-tolerant systems.
  • Real-World Projects & Certification Prep: Apply your skills through hands-on projects, capstone exercises, and team collaborations while preparing for key Google Cloud certifications.

Business Benefits

  • Optimized Operations: Streamline infrastructure management and automate resource provisioning to boost efficiency and reduce manual effort.
  • Enhanced Scalability & Resilience: Build robust, high-performing systems that adapt to business growth and ensure continuous service availability.
  • Cost Efficiency: Implement effective cost management and governance practices to control spending and maximize ROI on cloud investments.
  • Improved Security & Compliance: Strengthen your cloud security posture with best practices in network configuration, IAM, and data protection, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Competitive Advantage: Leverage advanced GCP technologies and methodologies to drive innovation, support digital transformation, and enhance stakeholder confidence.

Skills Learned

  • GCP Infrastructure Expertise: Develop a comprehensive understanding of Google Cloud’s global infrastructure, core services, and cloud computing models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS).
  • Networking & Security Proficiency: Gain practical skills in configuring VPCs, subnets, firewall rules, and applying best practices for securing cloud environments.
  • Compute & Serverless Management: Master deployment and management of virtual machines, containerized workloads via GKE, and serverless applications using Cloud Functions and Cloud Run.
  • Automation & IaC: Build expertise in deploying and managing resources using GCP Deployment Manager, Terraform, and custom scripting (Python, Bash) for automation.
  • CI/CD Pipeline Development: Learn to design, implement, and monitor automated deployment pipelines, integrating testing and security scans with Cloud Build and related tools.
  • Monitoring, Logging & Troubleshooting: Acquire skills in using the GCP Operations Suite to create dashboards, set alerts, and perform performance tuning and troubleshooting.
  • Cost Management & Governance: Develop the ability to analyze and optimize cloud spending, enforce governance policies, and forecast budgets effectively.
  • Advanced Architectural Design: Understand and apply design patterns for scalable, resilient, multi-region, and hybrid cloud solutions on GCP.
  • Real-World Project Execution & Certification: Gain hands-on experience through practical projects and team collaborations, and prepare for Google Cloud certifications to validate your expertise.


Syllabus

1. Introduction to GCP Platform Engineering

  • Overview of the Role

    Understand the responsibilities of a GCP Platform Engineer, including infrastructure design, automation, and operational excellence.

  • GCP Global Infrastructure

    Learn about Google Cloud’s regions, zones, and edge locations, as well as how its global network supports high availability.

  • Cloud Computing Fundamentals

    Review key concepts such as IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and the GCP shared responsibility model.

2. GCP Infrastructure Fundamentals

  • Core GCP Services

    Dive into essential services such as Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, and Virtual Private Cloud (VPC).

  • Networking Essentials

    Explore VPC configuration, subnets, firewall rules, and Cloud Load Balancing.

  • Security Foundations

    Understand Identity and Access Management (IAM), service accounts, and best practices for securing GCP environments.

3. Compute and Serverless Architectures

  • Compute Engine and Managed Instance Groups

    Learn how to deploy and manage virtual machines and configure auto-scaling for high performance.

  • Container Orchestration with GKE

    Explore Google Kubernetes Engine for containerized workloads, including cluster setup, management, and security.

  • Serverless Computing

    Understand how to leverage Cloud Functions, Cloud Run, and App Engine for building scalable serverless applications.

  • High Availability and Scalability

    Study load balancing, failover strategies, and design patterns that ensure resilient architectures.

4. Storage, Databases, and Data Management

  • Cloud Storage Solutions

    Explore Cloud Storage, Persistent Disks, and Filestore, and learn best practices for data durability and performance.

  • Database Services

    Dive into Cloud SQL, Cloud Spanner, Firestore, and Bigtable, comparing relational and NoSQL options.

  • Data Integration and Migration

    Understand strategies for data ingestion, transformation, backup, and recovery using GCP tools.

5. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Automation

  • GCP Deployment Manager and Terraform

    Master infrastructure as code using Google Cloud Deployment Manager and Terraform to automate resource provisioning.

  • Scripting and Custom Automation

    Enhance your automation skills with the gcloud CLI, Python, or Bash scripting for repetitive tasks.

  • Automation Tools and Orchestration

    Explore how to use Cloud Functions and Cloud Scheduler for event-driven automation within GCP.

6. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

  • CI/CD Fundamentals on GCP

    Understand the principles of CI/CD and how to apply them using Cloud Build, Container Registry, and Cloud Source Repositories.

  • Designing Automated Pipelines

    Build and manage pipelines that automate application deployment, testing, and security scans.

  • Integrating Quality and Security

    Incorporate automated testing, vulnerability scanning, and code quality checks into your CI/CD workflows.

7. Monitoring, Logging, and Observability

  • GCP Operations Suite (formerly Stackdriver)

    Utilize Cloud Monitoring, Cloud Logging, and Cloud Trace to collect performance metrics and monitor system health.

  • Dashboards and Alerting

    Set up dashboards and alerts to track key performance indicators and proactively manage incidents.

  • Troubleshooting and Performance Tuning

    Develop strategies for diagnosing issues, optimizing resource utilization, and ensuring service reliability.

8. Cost Optimization and Governance

  • Cost Management Techniques

    Learn to monitor, analyze, and optimize expenses using GCP Cost Management tools and budgets.

  • Resource Governance and Tagging

    Implement labeling strategies and policies to enforce resource governance and compliance.

  • Budgeting and Forecasting

    Master techniques for forecasting costs, managing budgets, and optimizing resource allocation.

9. Advanced Architecture and Design Patterns

  • Designing Resilient Architectures

    Study advanced design patterns for building scalable, fault-tolerant, and highly available systems on GCP.

  • Multi-Region and Hybrid Deployments

    Explore strategies for deploying applications across multiple regions and integrating on-premises environments.

  • Emerging Trends and Innovations

    Stay updated on the latest GCP services and innovations impacting platform engineering and cloud-native architectures.

10. Hands-On Projects and Real-World Scenarios

  • Engage in practical projects that integrate the key GCP concepts covered in this learning path. For example, deploy a cloud-native application on GCP using Compute Engine, GKE, Cloud Storage, and Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). Implement automation with Google Cloud Deployment Manager or Terraform and integrate CI/CD pipelines using Cloud Build, Container Registry, and Cloud Source Repositories.

11. Certification Preparation

  • Prepare for Google Cloud certifications such as the Associate Cloud Engineer and Professional Cloud Architect to validate your expertise.