Google GKE — Kubernetes on Google Cloud
Google GKE Tutorial
Welcome to the Google GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine) tutorial track. This series covers running production Kubernetes on Google Cloud Platform, from cluster provisioning to advanced GKE-specific features.
What is Google GKE?
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) is a managed Kubernetes service from Google Cloud — the birthplace of Kubernetes. GKE offers both Standard and Autopilot modes, providing flexibility between full control and fully managed operations.
What You’ll Learn
| Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Cluster Setup | GKE Standard vs Autopilot, provisioning with gcloud CLI and Terraform |
| Identity & Access | Google IAM, Workload Identity, GKE RBAC |
| Networking | VPC-native clusters, Cloud NAT, Cloud Load Balancing, GKE Ingress |
| Storage | Persistent Disk CSI, Filestore, Cloud Storage FUSE |
| Monitoring | Google Cloud Monitoring, Managed Prometheus, Cloud Logging |
| Security | Binary Authorization, GKE Sandbox (gVisor), Shielded GKE Nodes |
| Scaling | Cluster autoscaler, node auto-provisioning, vertical Pod autoscaler |
| CI/CD | Cloud Build, Cloud Deploy, Artifact Registry |
| Cost Management | Committed use discounts, Spot VMs, GKE cost allocation |
GKE Key Features
- Autopilot mode — Fully managed node infrastructure, Google handles node management
- Release channels — Automatic version management (Rapid, Regular, Stable)
- Workload Identity — Secure pod-to-GCP service authentication without key files
- Binary Authorization — Enforce trusted container image policies
- GKE Sandbox — Isolate workloads using gVisor for defense in depth
- Multi-cluster management — Fleet management and Config Sync across clusters
Prerequisites
Before starting this track, you should have:
- Completed the Kubernetes Foundation Tutorial or equivalent experience
- A Google Cloud account (free tier available)
- Google Cloud SDK (
gcloud) installed locally - Basic familiarity with GCP services (Projects, VPCs, IAM)
Chapters
| # | Chapter | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | GKE overview, Autopilot vs Standard, pricing |
| 2 | Creating a GKE Cluster | gcloud CLI, node pools, release channels |
| 3 | Networking | VPC-native clusters, Cloud Load Balancing, Cloud NAT |
| 4 | Storage | Persistent Disks, Filestore, CSI drivers |
| 5 | Identity & Security | Workload Identity, Binary Authorization, GKE Sandbox |
| 6 | Monitoring & Logging | Cloud Operations, Managed Prometheus, dashboards |
| 7 | Scaling & Upgrades | Cluster autoscaler, node auto-provisioning, surge upgrades |
| 8 | CI/CD with GKE | Cloud Build, Cloud Deploy, Artifact Registry |
