On the left-hand side, there are the main navigation options, one of which, Cloud Launcher, lets us easily set up services that we need. Since we used RethinkDB in the previous chapter, let's now try MySQL again. We need a database server, so let's head to Cloud Launcher:
On the sidebar, there are a couple of service categories to choose from. Let's use the filter on top to search for mysql:
One of the options, in my case the first, is Cloud SQL, which is a Google service used to run a fully-managed MySQL or PostgreSQL database service. It alleviates the burden of configuration and maintenance. Click on that option:
There's an overview with an explanation of the service, as well as pricing if you want to consult it. Because we're using free credit, that is not a concern for now. Click on GO TO CLOUD SQL:
Because we're using the service for the first time, there's no service instance. Click on "Create Instance" to create a new one, follow the instructions, and create the instance. You'll be asked for a password for the default root account; don't forget it. At the end, you should see an instance list. Wait until your instance is fully up and running:
You can click on the instance ID and see more information about it. You'll have access to a service dashboard, as well as be able to import and export:
There's a DATABASES tab where we can create our microservice database. Head there and create it. Retain defaults on the character set and collation:
Our database is now ready. Let's head back to the project dashboard. Click on Google Cloud Platform in the top-left corner of the screen:
You'll notice that the APIs block on the middle column now has a line showing some activity. APIs are part of the infrastructure and, since we just created a service instance, there's some activity going on. Click on Go to APIs overview:
Here, you can monitor activity, traffic, and errors of all enabled and used APIs. Heading back to our project dashboard, and looking at the sidebar, you'll notice there are plenty of options available.
Scrolling down a bit, you'll find an SQL section, where you can find our previously created instance. If you need to go there in the future, this is how you find it:
