Brian Dorsey joins Stephanie Wong this week for an in-depth discussion on Workflows. Guests Kris Braun and Guillaume Laforge introduce us to Google Cloud Workflows, explaining that this fully managed serverless product helps connect services in the cloud. By facilitating the creation of an end-to-end schema, Workflows lets developers specify what microservices or other software respond when certain events occur in a detailed, visual format.

Kris and Guillaume list the benefits of using Workflows and detail the many uses for this powerful tool. The ability to add detailed descriptors, for example, helps companies avoid errors in calling up other pieces of software. New employees have an easier time getting acquainted when the steps are clearly defined as well. Our guests use real-world examples to illustrate the three main uses for Workflows: event-driven, batch, and infrastructure automation. Workflows are flexible and customizable.

Later, we hear about Cloud Composer and its relation to Workflows, and our guests help us understand which product is right for each client type. The Workflows team continues to expand offerings. More connectors are being added to allow developers to call other GCP services. Working with lists will soon be easier, allowing Workflows to run steps in parallel. And Kris details other exciting updates coming soon, including Eventarc.

Kris Braun

Kris Braun is the Product Manager for three Google Cloud products that connect services to build applications: Workflows, Tasks, and Scheduler. Before Google, Kris’ adventures include founding and growing startups, leading a team of network security researchers investigating threats like Stuxnet, and writing the original BlackBerry simulator for app development. He’s a passionate advocate for opening job opportunities to skilled refugees displaced by war and disaster.

Guillaume Laforge

Guillaume Laforge is a Developer Advocate for Google Cloud, focusing on serverless technologies. More recently, he dived head first in Workflows, and started presenting the product at online events, wrote articles, tips and tricks, and videos on the topic.

Cool things of the week

• How sweet it is: Using Cloud AI to whip up new treats with Mars Maltesers blog
• Turbo boost your Compute Engine workloads with new 100 Gbps networking blog
  • Benchmarking higher bandwidth VM instances docs

Interview

• Workflows site
• Spanner site
• Cloud SQL site
• Cloud Composer site
• Pub/Sub site
• Cloud Run site
• Eventarc site
• Eventarc Documentation docs
• Workflows Insiders site
• Quickstarts site
• How-To Guides site
• Syntax Reference site
• Guillaume’s Workflow Tips and Tricks blog
• A first look at serverless orchestration with Workflows blog
• Orchestrating the Pic-a-Daily serverless app with Workflows blog
• Better service orchestration with Workflows blog
• Get to know Workflows, Google Cloud’s serverless orchestration engine blog
• 3 common serverless patterns to build with Workflows blog
• Introduction to serverless orchestration with Workflows codelab
• Pic-a-Daily Serverless Workshop codelab
• Pic-a-daily: Lab 6—Orchestration with Workflows codelab

What’s something cool you’re working on?

Brian is working on use cases around VMs.

Stephanie has been writing about database migration.