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Google Compute Engine vs RamNode: What are the differences?
What is Google Compute Engine? Run large-scale workloads on virtual machines hosted on Google's infrastructure. Google Compute Engine is a service that provides virtual machines that run on Google infrastructure. Google Compute Engine offers scale, performance, and value that allows you to easily launch large compute clusters on Google's infrastructure. There are no upfront investments and you can run up to thousands of virtual CPUs on a system that has been designed from the ground up to be fast, and to offer strong consistency of performance.
What is RamNode? High Performance SSD and SSD-Cached VPSs. You won't find a better performing VPS anywhere else. Our SSD and SSD-Cached VPSs are the best in the industry. We implement some of the most cutting edge systems and configurations to ensure your VPS meets and exceeds your expectations.
Google Compute Engine and RamNode can be categorized as "Cloud Hosting" tools.
Some of the features offered by Google Compute Engine are:
- High-performance virtual machines- Compute Engine’s Linux VMs are consistently performant, scalable, highly secure and reliable. Supported distros include Debian and CentOS. You can choose from micro-VMs to large instances.
- Powered by Google’s global network- Create large compute clusters that benefit from strong and consistent cross-machine bandwidth. Connect to machines in other data centers and to other Google services using Google’s private global fiber network.
- (Really) Pay for what you use- Google bills in minute-level increments (with a 10-minute minimum charge), so you don’t pay for unused computing time.
On the other hand, RamNode provides the following key features:
- Performance I/O
- Powerful CPUs
- Tier-1 Network
"Backed by google" is the primary reason why developers consider Google Compute Engine over the competitors, whereas "Cost effective" was stated as the key factor in picking RamNode.
Albeit restricted to only a few places worlwide compared to its peers in the cloud segment, I am yet to find another provider capable of delivering a score over 5000 (Geekbench) in a benchmark on a single CPU machine, and each machine costs $6 a month. For homelab and experienced users who don't need DBaaS or IaaC's, it's a pretty straightforward choice. A more comprehensive review of Vultr's HF machines can be found here.
GCE is much more user friendly than EC2, though Amazon has come a very long way since the early days (pre-2010's). This can be seen in how easy it is to edit the storage attached to an instance in GCE: it's under the instance details and is edited inline. In AWS you have to click the instance > click the storage block device (new screen) > click the edit option (new modal) > resize the volume > confirm (new model) then wait a very long time. Google's is nearly instant.
- In both cases, the instance much be shut down.
There also the preference between "user burden-of-security" and automatic security: AWS goes for the former, GCE the latter.
Pros of Google Compute Engine
- Backed by google87
- Easy to scale79
- High-performance virtual machines75
- Performance57
- Fast and easy provisioning52
- Load balancing15
- Compliance and security12
- Kubernetes9
- GitHub Integration8
- Consistency7
- Free $300 credit (12 months)4
- One Click Setup Options3
- Good documentation3
- Great integration and product support2
- Escort2
- Ease of Use and GitHub support2
- Nice UI1
- Easy Snapshot and Backup feature1
- Integration with mobile notification services1
- Low cost1
- Support many OS1
- Very Reliable1
Pros of RamNode
- SSH root access1
- Affordable1