Associate Data Practitioner

Section 4: Data Management (~25% of the exam)

4.1 Configure Access Control and Governance

Access Control and Governance are essential practices for managing who can access and manipulate resources within Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Proper access control ensures that only authorized individuals can view or modify data, while governance involves setting policies that guide how data is managed and used.

To configure access control, you can use Identity and Access Management (IAM). IAM lets you grant permissions to users, groups, and service accounts, defining what they can and cannot do with GCP resources. This helps in maintaining security by adhering to the principle of least privilege — giving users only the permissions they need to perform their job.

Governance involves creating policies and guidelines that ensure data is handled correctly. This includes setting rules for data retention, backup, and lifecycle management. Automated tools and regular audits help enforce these rules, ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations.

4.2 Configure Lifecycle Management

Lifecycle Management is a key practice for managing the lifecycle of your data, from creation to deletion. In GCP, you can configure lifecycle policies to automate the process of transitioning data between different storage classes or deleting it after a certain period.

One useful feature in GCP is Storage Class Lifecycle Management in Google Cloud Storage. By setting lifecycle policies, you can automatically move data to a cheaper storage class after a period of time or delete it to save costs. This helps in efficiently managing storage costs and ensuring that data stays as per organizational compliance requirements.

Lifecycle Management is not only about cost management but also about ensuring data availability and integrity over time. Regularly reviewing and updating your lifecycle policies is an excellent practice to adapt to changing needs and regulations.

4.3 Identify High Availability and Disaster Recovery Strategies for Data in Cloud Storage and Cloud SQL

Ensuring High Availability (HA) and implementing effective Disaster Recovery (DR) strategies are crucial for any cloud-based application. They protect your data against unexpected failures and help maintain business continuity.

For Google Cloud Storage, HA can be achieved by storing data in multi-region or dual-region storage classes, which automatically replicate your data across multiple locations. This ensures your data remains accessible even if one location experiences issues.

Cloud SQL, a managed database service, supports various HA strategies such as automated backups, point-in-time recovery, and read replicas. Automated backups help restore your database to a previous state, while read replicas can offload read traffic and ensure better performance.

Disaster Recovery involves planning for worst-case scenarios where data loss occurs. Both Cloud Storage and Cloud SQL offer robust options for DR, including regular backups, snapshots, and cross-region replication, ensuring that your data can be restored swiftly in case of a disaster.

4.4 Apply Security Measures and Ensure Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations

Applying Security Measures and ensuring Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations are paramount when managing data in the cloud. Security measures involve protecting your data from unauthorized access, breaches, and other threats.

One critical aspect is using encryption for data at rest and in transit. GCP provides multiple encryption options, including customer-managed encryption keys for additional security layers. Additionally, setting up proper IAM roles ensures that sensitive data is accessed only by authorized personnel.

Compliance means adhering to laws and regulations that govern data privacy and protection. For example, regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) require stringent measures to protect user data. GCP offers tools like the Data Loss Prevention API to help identify and manage sensitive information.

Regular audits, both internal and external, are necessary to ensure ongoing compliance. Tools such as Security Command Center provide a centralized dashboard for monitoring security configurations, identifying vulnerabilities, and resolving issues promptly.

Conclusion

In Section 4: Data Management, you have learned about configuring access control and governance, setting up lifecycle management policies, identifying strategies for high availability and disaster recovery, and applying security measures to ensure compliance with data privacy regulations. These practices are essential for managing data securely and efficiently on Google Cloud Platform, helping organizations protect their data while maintaining operational integrity and compliance with relevant regulations.