Google Cloud Storage allows application makers to store their data on Google’s infrastructure with very high consistency, presentation and ease of use. Consider using Google Drive to store personal data. If you are an application maker you can do so using the Google Drive SDK. Google cloud storage is permitted by default for most projects. Before using Google cloud storage, you will require to allow billing and you should allow the API in your Google Cloud Platform to store data in Google Cloud Storage.

Need to activate Google cloud storage

You will not require to activate Google Cloud Storage depending on your circumstances. Review the following circumstances to determine if you need to activate Google Cloud Storage.

  1. Activate Google cloud storage if you require to add objects, control your data and create buckets.
  2. Do not require to activate google cloud storage
    1. If you access data publicly. Use gsutil tool to download and access the data without Google account.
    2. Read and write to a bucket to which you have approved access. When you have approved access to access the data, you do not require to activate the Google Cloud Storage service.
    3. You can still use thegsutil tool to set up your permits to read or write that data using your Google account.

How to activate Google Cloud Storage

You activate the Google Cloud Storage service on a project-by-project basis. For newly created projects, the Google Cloud Storage is activated automatically.

To activate Google Cloud Storage:

  1. First, a Google account from Gmail.
  2. Go to the Google Cloud Platform Console.
  3. Create a project. If you have multiple projects, you have to activate Google Cloud Storage and click ‘Continue’.
  4. If you do not have a project, click on ‘create a new project’ and click on ‘create’.
  5. In the Google Cloud Storage component overview, click ‘Enable API’.
  6. Google Cloud Storage component is already turned on for most projects, you will see ‘Disable API’.
  7. Allow billing for the project. Before using Google Cloud Storage, you will require to allow billing for your project. To do that:
    • Go to the billing pagefor the project you created above.
    • Next, click ‘Enable billing’.

 Using storage buckets

The easiest way to use a Cloud Storage bucket in an App Engine app. An App Engine default bucket requires neither configuration, permissions, further activation, nor allow billing on your app, because it comes with a free share.

Using a default bucket

To use a default bucket

  1. Define whether your app has created the default bucket.
  2. If it does not have a default bucket, create one:
    1. Go to Cloud Storage in the Google Cloud Platform Console.
    2. Click on ‘create’and wait for default bucket to be created.
    3. Now, the bucket will be completely created and ready for use.

Using a non-default bucket

You may not require to use the default bucket. If you use a non-default bucket, you should allow billing for your app.

To create a new non-default bucket:

  1. In the Cloud Platform Console enable billing for your project.
  2. Go to Cloud Storageof your project.
  3. Select ‘create bucket’.