Google opens Cloud SQL database service for App Engine developers

CLOUD SERVICE PROVIDER Google now offers App Engine developers access to a cloud database service.

Google's Cloud SQL presents a MySQL environment to App Engine users, which it has been opened up as a limited preview. The idea is for developers to code App Engine applications using Google's cloud based database server rather than spending money on creating a high performance and reliable database backend.

According to Navneet Joneja, product manager for Google Cloud SQL, developers have been asking for simple way of creating database-driven applications. By trusting database administration to Google, Joneja said, "This allows you to focus on developing your applications and services, free from the chores of managing, maintaining and administering relational databases."

Google's Cloud SQL has JDBC and DB-API support for Java and Python developers, respectively. The company claims that data is backed up in multiple datacenters and still gives the user the ability to import and export data. Importing existing MySQL databases into Cloud SQL is also possible.

At present Google's Cloud SQL is free of charge, but once the service comes out of the preview stage, Google will charge developers for the management of their databases. The firm said it will announce pricing at least 30 days before any charges kick in, so developers might not want to get too comfortable. µ