If you’re running a business and want to access a fully-managed service that allows you to streamline queries and data and predict outcomes, your best bet is to use Google Cloud Logging.
This article discusses everything there is to know about Google Cloud Logging and the different factors, the pricing models, what will suit your organization, how to reduce the rising costs, and more.
What is Google Cloud Logging?
Google Cloud Logging is a platform where you combine logs from different sources, store them, analyze, and alert you on logging events and data from Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services.
Combining these logs in a single place helps discover hidden patterns and potential loopholes in your data.
The Pricing model for Google Cloud Logging
Even though the Google Cloud Logging pricing model is complex, it offers a range of flexible options that you can implement seamlessly for your facility. The three pricing models are described below.
Overview of charges (ingestion, storage, retrieval, and analysis)
Like every other Google Cloud service, logging gives a detailed insight into metrics available in the monitoring service. We’ll be discussing the charges briefly in the following table.
- 1
Ingestion
Data ingestion is when you import large files from various sources and condense them into a single cloud-based platform. You’ll be charged for the volume of logs ingested that have different pricing models.
The price starts from $0.5 per GB for USA and Europe ingested logs.
- 2
Storage
Google Storage is a service offered by the Cloud platform. The pricing depends on the volume of data you consume and depends on the log type and region where the data is stored.
The pricing stays in the range of $0.1 to $0.2 per GB depending on the storage region.
- 3
Retrieval
Next is the retrieval which is the retrieved data from the service. You’ll be billed according to the amount of data retried every month.
For the US and Europe, the pricing starts at $0.01/GB and goes up to $0.05 for Asia-Pacific
- 4
Analysis
Using advanced log analysis features like trace integration and others induces logging charges as well. The pricing is done using the volume of data processed by the features and the region.
Pricing differences between Standard and Premium tiers
Google Cloud Logging has two tiers: Standard and Premium. Let’s compare their prices for the different features offered. Although it’s important to understand that the prices are subject to change depending on the region.
Feature | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|
Log Ingestion | free | free |
Log Storage | $0.01/GB/month | $0.50/GB/month |
Data Retrieval | $0.01/GB | $0.05/GB |
Exports | $0.50/GB | $0.50/GB |
Monitoring Metrics | Free | free |
Advanced Logs Queries | $0.50/GB | $1.00/GB |
Log-based Metrics | $0.10/metric | $0.10/metric |
Alerting | $0.10/policy | $0.10/policy |
Logging API Calls | $0.50/GB | $0.50/GB |
Log Router and Sinks | free | Free |
Access Transparency and Audit Logs | Free | Free |
Example of pricing based on usage
Let’s take an example of a small-scale to medium-sized business that runs its facilities online and generates around 100 GB of logs each month.
We’ll consider both tiers for Log storage in the following comparison:
Factors Affecting Google Cloud Logging Pricing
If you’re trying to understand your monthly cloud bill, having a full grip on the following factors can help you devise your bill better.
- 1
Number of users
The second cost is the number of users. More users accessing your log data mean higher costs.
- 2
Volume of logs
Your monthly bill is most commonly affected because of the volume of logs. The Google Cloud Logging charges encompass advanced log queries, storage of logs, and data retrieval.
- 3
Frequency of log ingestion
If you make frequent requests for generating and ingesting log data, then your total bill we be higher. More frequent requests can lead to spikes in API calls and log ingestion, which ultimately increases the price.
- 4
Data retention period
Keeping log data stored for an increased amount of time affects the pricing. For instance, if an organization retains its customers’ data for 5 years, it’ll have to pay higher storage costs.
- 5
Analysis features used
Log-based metrics and log-based alerts are the analysis features that affect pricing. For instance, if your organization creates a large number of log-based metrics, it’ll lead to increased costs that reflect in your final bill.
- 6
Data exports and retrieval frequency
Exporting the data and retrieving the data affects the pricing. With the increase in exports or increase in retrieved time, the pricing can also increase.
- 7
Location of data
We’ve talked above about how different regions affect the pricing rates. Generally, the prices tend to be lower for regions within the US and Europe, while prices for storing or retrieving data in Asia-Pacific are higher.
Best Practices for Managing Google Cloud Logging Costs
Managing cash flows, and finances, and taking care of your entire business is hard. However, you can implement some proven practices that help ease the burden when managing Google Cloud logging costs.
Conclusion
This article walked you through the different Google Cloud Logging prices and what you can do to manage them effectively.
We discussed the pricing model in detail, how the premium and standard tiers differ from each other, and considered some factors that help optimize the costs.
Managing logging costs is super important when you’re managing so many finances. The tips discussed here will help you put your best forward and reduce unexpected logging expenses.
