Google Kubernetes Engine Reviews

Name: Google Kubernetes Engine
Brand: Google
Rating: 4.0 (35 reviews)

4.0 out of 5

35 reviews
94% willing to recommend

What is Google Kubernetes Engine?

Kubernetes Engine is a managed, production-ready environment for deploying containerized applications. It brings our latest innovations in developer productivity, resource efficiency, automated operations, and open source flexibility to accelerate your time to market.

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Google Kubernetes Engine is the #8 ranked solution in Container Management software. PeerSpot users give Google Kubernetes Engine an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 35 most recent Google Kubernetes Engine reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.6. (Among the highest in the category). Google Kubernetes Engine is most commonly compared to VMware Tanzu Platform: Google Kubernetes Engine vs VMware Tanzu Platform. Google Kubernetes Engine is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 71% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 23% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Google Kubernetes Engine

November 2024

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Featured reviews

Abhilash Gopidas

Deployment Manager at HealthEdge Software, Inc.

The product has no downtime. Automated scaling is a valuable feature. During peak hours, the datasets are on a higher volume. We need scaling in place. Otherwise, there's a degradation in the performance. We might sometimes miss data, or there will be no data sync between systems. Auto-scaling helps deal with performance needs during peak hours. There's no lag time for processing data.

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Javad_Talebi

Cloud architect at Vodafone

The customer service and support are good. There is also the AI support. There were instances when I needed help with configurations, and the AI support was instrumental in validating the correctness of my setups. It also provided good information on pricing and even helped estimate costs through AI. My experiences with Google Cloud Platform's AI support have been highly successful and satisfactory.

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Yossi Shmulevitch

Owner at SoftContact

My advice to others looking to use Google Kubernetes Engine is to pay attention to maintenance and utilize automation and platform tools to build and manage it. Do not do it manually. Many maintenance errors should be managed automatically, especially by Google. Otherwise, you need to be very attentive to the cluster due to maintenance issues. I suggest automating most of the manual tasks. There is a distribution of Google called Autopilot that handles it, although I haven't personally worked with it. I recommend considering its usage rather than doing everything manually. Maybe it's related to the specific solution we chose, but ultimately, it's about pricing. Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.

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Google Kubernetes Engine mindshare

As of November 2024, the mindshare of Google Kubernetes Engine in the Container Management category stands at 3.0%, down from 3.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Container Management

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 14, 2024

Valuable Features

Google Kubernetes Engine offers valuable features like horizontal scaling, easy deployment, and management across multiple clouds. Users appreciate auto-scaling, managed control plane, and seamless integration with Google ecosystem, promoting efficient infrastructure handling. Its intuitive interface and GUI deployment enhance user experience. Managed backup and security features ensure smooth operations. Users highlight its scalability, stability, and ease of configuration, noting improvements over manual Docker management, allowing effective workload handling, zero downtime, and integration across regions.

"GKE is easier to understand and use than Elastic Kubernetes Service."
"Its functionalities, such as computing the namespaces, clusters, pods, and restart logs, are easy to use."
"The most beneficial feature is the ability to separate each project and manage permissions more effectively."

Room for Improvement

Google Kubernetes Engine needs improvements in security features, user interface, and documentation. Users also find the cluster configuration complex and monitoring inadequate. They face challenges with integration and require better backup systems. It's noted that updates should offer more stability, and pricing should be more competitive. There are calls for enhanced logging, easier IAM role management, and improved support services. Existing tools need more comprehensive integration, and auto-scaling processes should be simplified.

"Log observability could be made easier so someone from high school can use it without having technological expertise."
"The primary area for improvement would be the complexity involved when working with Google Kubernetes Engine, especially when using Terraform."
"The product's integration with third-party vendors needs improvement."

ROI

Google Kubernetes Engine delivers a positive ROI with cost savings and improved efficiency, requiring fewer staff for management. However, the ROI can diminish due to competitive offerings. Startups find it valuable despite the high costs for additional services. GKE Autopilot helps reduce expenses, but cost challenges remain, especially compared to AWS. Integration with multiple cloud providers is easier, enhancing its flexibility for diverse needs.

Pricing

Enterprise users of Google Kubernetes Engine often mention that while Kubernetes is open source, the cloud infrastructure incurs costs based on resources like CPU, RAM, and VMs. Pricing is typically pay-as-you-go with monthly options for certain features. Many users note GKE as competitive with other cloud solutions but suggest costs can rise for high-availability features or multi-cloud deployments. Ratings on pricing vary, with many considering it fair but noting it is costly when factoring in regional and redundancy requirements.

"The tool's licensing costs are yearly."
"Initially, Google Kubernetes Engine was a little bit cheaper, but now its prices have been increased compared to the pricing model and the features that are made available by its competitors."
"I rate the product's price a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price. The product is competitively priced."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily utilize Google Kubernetes Engine for application deployment, running microservices, and facilitating continuous integration and deployment pipelines. It is also used for orchestrating Docker containers, migrating from on-premises to cloud environments, and managing data workloads. Companies develop AI models and host SaaS applications within it, benefiting from scalability, security, and seamless cloud service integration. Kubernetes Engine aids in hosting production clusters, supporting application development and deployment, and transforming enterprise solutions to container-based architectures.

Service and Support

Technical support for Google Kubernetes Engine is mixed. Some find it satisfactory, with good availability and AI support, while others note the need for improved response times. Many rely on self-sufficiency due to a lack of effective assistance or difficulty in accessing local support. A few users manage without external help due to internal expertise. Email is a common communication method, but some prefer Google's forums for problem-solving.

Deployment

Many users find Google Kubernetes Engine's initial setup relatively straightforward, often describing it as simple or easy. Others mention some complexities, particularly with network configurations and advanced setups. Automation tools like Terraform are frequently used to streamline the process. Ratings vary, but ease of setup is generally noted. While setup is quick with basic configurations, ensuring secure deployment can introduce challenges, indicating the need for comprehensive understanding and best practices in certain scenarios.

Scalability

Google Kubernetes Engine offers robust scalability, praised for its horizontal and vertical scaling capabilities. Users appreciate its auto-scaling feature and flexibility for applications requiring dynamic resource allocation. While some find cluster-based application scaling complex, overall scalability is regarded as a strong attribute. Organizations frequently mention its ease of adaptation for both small and large teams, supporting diverse cloud platforms. Many rate its scalability highly, consistently noting it as a core feature driving increased usage and adoption.

Stability

Google Kubernetes Engine is widely considered stable, with many users affirming its reliability and rating it eight to nine out of ten. It is praised for its scalability and frequent updates, which ensure minimal issues. Some mention potential constraints in complex deployments. Google's release strategy enables clients to manage versions effectively, enhancing stability. Occasional support delays and minor errors are noted, but users remain confident, especially with the ability to integrate across cloud platforms.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Google Kubernetes Engine Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.