GCP Console walkthrough - Mini Project: Build & Apply

GCP Console walkthrough

📖 Scenario: You are starting to learn how to use the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Console. This is the web interface where you can create and manage cloud resources like virtual machines, storage, and databases.Imagine you want to organize your cloud projects and see the resources inside them.

🎯 Goal: Learn to navigate the GCP Console by creating a project list, selecting a project, and viewing its resources.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a list of GCP projects with exact names and IDs

Add a variable to select a specific project by its ID

Write a function to list resources for the selected project

Add a final step to display the selected project and its resources

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Cloud engineers often manage multiple projects in GCP and need to select and view resources per project using the console or scripts.

💼 Career

Understanding how to organize and access cloud projects and their resources is essential for cloud administrators and developers working with GCP.

1

Create a list of GCP projects

Create a variable called projects that is a list of dictionaries. Each dictionary must have the keys 'name' and 'project_id' with these exact entries: {'name': 'Project Alpha', 'project_id': 'alpha-123'}, {'name': 'Project Beta', 'project_id': 'beta-456'}, and {'name': 'Project Gamma', 'project_id': 'gamma-789'}.

GCP

# Create the list of projects with name and project_id
# Your code here

Hint

Use a list with three dictionaries. Each dictionary has keys 'name' and 'project_id' with the exact values given.

2

Select a project by its ID

Create a variable called selected_project_id and set it to the string 'beta-456' to select the project with that ID.

GCP

projects = [
    {'name': 'Project Alpha', 'project_id': 'alpha-123'},
    {'name': 'Project Beta', 'project_id': 'beta-456'},
    {'name': 'Project Gamma', 'project_id': 'gamma-789'}
]
# Set selected_project_id to 'beta-456'
# Your code here

Hint

Assign the string 'beta-456' to the variable named selected_project_id.

3

Write a function to list resources for the selected project

Write a function called list_resources that takes a parameter project_id and returns a list of resource names. For this exercise, return ['Compute Engine VM', 'Cloud Storage Bucket'] if project_id matches any project in projects. Otherwise, return an empty list.

GCP

projects = [
    {'name': 'Project Alpha', 'project_id': 'alpha-123'},
    {'name': 'Project Beta', 'project_id': 'beta-456'},
    {'name': 'Project Gamma', 'project_id': 'gamma-789'}
]
selected_project_id = 'beta-456'

# Define list_resources function below
# Your code here

Hint

Loop through projects, check if project_id matches, then return the fixed list of resources.

4

Display the selected project and its resources

Create a variable called selected_project that finds the dictionary in projects where 'project_id' equals selected_project_id. Then create a variable called resources that calls list_resources with selected_project_id.

GCP

projects = [
    {'name': 'Project Alpha', 'project_id': 'alpha-123'},
    {'name': 'Project Beta', 'project_id': 'beta-456'},
    {'name': 'Project Gamma', 'project_id': 'gamma-789'}
]
selected_project_id = 'beta-456'

def list_resources(project_id):
    for project in projects:
        if project['project_id'] == project_id:
            return ['Compute Engine VM', 'Cloud Storage Bucket']
    return []

# Find selected_project and get resources
# Your code here

Hint

Loop through projects to find the one with matching project_id and assign it to selected_project. Then call list_resources with selected_project_id.

Practice

1. What is the primary purpose of the GCP Console?

easy

A. To install software on your local computer

B. To manage and control Google Cloud resources through a web interface

C. To write and run code directly on Google Cloud servers

D. To create offline backups of your cloud data

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what GCP Console offers

   The GCP Console is a website that lets users manage cloud resources like virtual machines and storage.

2. Step 2: Identify the main function

   It provides a web interface to create, view, and control cloud services, not to write code or install software locally.

3. Final Answer:

   To manage and control Google Cloud resources through a web interface -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   GCP Console = Manage cloud resources [OK]

Hint: Remember: Console means web control panel [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing GCP Console with coding environment
• Thinking it installs software locally
• Assuming it creates offline backups

2. Which section in the GCP Console would you visit to check your current billing and costs?

easy

A. Compute Engine

B. IAM & Admin

C. Billing

D. Cloud Storage

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate billing information in GCP Console

   The Billing section is dedicated to showing your current costs and billing details.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other sections

   IAM & Admin manages permissions, Compute Engine manages virtual machines, and Cloud Storage manages files, so they don't show billing.

3. Final Answer:

   Billing -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Billing section = Costs info [OK]

Hint: Look for 'Billing' to find cost details fast [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Compute Engine for billing info
• Confusing IAM & Admin with billing
• Selecting Cloud Storage instead of Billing

3. You want to create a new virtual machine in GCP Console. Which menu path should you follow?

medium

A. Navigation menu > Cloud Storage > Buckets > Create Bucket

B. Navigation menu > Billing > Reports > Create Report

C. Navigation menu > IAM & Admin > Service Accounts > Create Service Account

D. Navigation menu > Compute Engine > VM instances > Create Instance

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify where virtual machines are managed

   Virtual machines are managed under Compute Engine in the GCP Console.

2. Step 2: Follow the correct menu path

   To create a VM, go to Compute Engine, then VM instances, and click Create Instance.

3. Final Answer:

   Navigation menu > Compute Engine > VM instances > Create Instance -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Create VM = Compute Engine > VM instances > Create [OK]

Hint: VMs live under Compute Engine menu [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Cloud Storage for VM creation
• Confusing Service Accounts with VM setup
• Looking in Billing for VM options

4. You tried to create a new storage bucket but received an error. What is a common reason for this in the GCP Console?

medium

A. You did not select a unique bucket name

B. You forgot to write code in the console

C. You did not install the GCP Console app

D. You tried to create a VM instead of a bucket

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand bucket naming rules

   Storage bucket names must be unique across all users worldwide.

2. Step 2: Identify common error cause

   If the name is already taken, the console shows an error preventing creation.

3. Final Answer:

   You did not select a unique bucket name -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Bucket name uniqueness = creation success [OK]

Hint: Bucket names must be unique globally [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking code is needed in the console
• Believing an app install is required
• Mixing up VM creation with bucket creation

5. You want to monitor your project's resource usage and costs in one place. Which GCP Console feature should you use?

hard

A. Cloud Monitoring dashboard combined with Billing reports

B. Compute Engine VM instances page

C. Cloud Storage bucket list

D. IAM & Admin user permissions page

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify monitoring and cost tracking tools

   Cloud Monitoring dashboard shows resource usage metrics, and Billing reports show cost details.

2. Step 2: Combine these features for full overview

   Using both together in the console gives a complete picture of usage and costs.

3. Final Answer:

   Cloud Monitoring dashboard combined with Billing reports -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Monitor usage + costs = Cloud Monitoring + Billing [OK]

Hint: Use Monitoring plus Billing for full project overview [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Looking only at VM instances for costs
• Checking storage buckets for usage stats
• Confusing permissions page with monitoring