[ETR #15] GCP's Secret App Every Engineer Needs


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Hi past, present or future data professional!

If you’re a hybrid or remote worker (or online student) you know the FOMO that sets in when you leave your desk and something at work needs your immediate attention. Even though data engineering is a role that can be done from anywhere, having to open, set up and position a laptop isn’t ideal in all situations like when you’re working from the car or traveling 6,000 miles.

One of my favorite recent GCP discoveries, the Google Cloud mobile app*, allows you to stay more tethered to activities in your GCP project than an alert email or a frenzied DM from your boss. In other words: I’ve been longing for this app–despite not knowing it even existed.

Although Google Cloud mobile is limited in scope it is especially helpful for certain business-critical activities like:

One of the most significant variables when it comes to problem solving in a remote work environment is responsiveness. As an employee, I’m expected to be available during regular working hours (typically 9–5); as an engineer, I need to be “on alert” most of the day and within walking distance to my workstation to diagnose and fix any instances of data downtime.

The Google Cloud mobile app provides me with more legible, comprehensive visibility for messages like logging entries than I would have on a mobile browser. Add to that the ability to execute job-related tasks like turn a running VM off and it certainly enhances my work and can help yours as well.

Read my in-depth review, with screenshots, here.

So you don’t get FOMO, here are this week’s links:

Questions? zach@pipelinetode.com

*I am not receiving compensation from Google Cloud; this is an objective review.

Until next time–thanks for ingesting,

-Zach Quinn

Pipeline To DE

Top data engineering writer on Medium & Senior Data Engineer in media; I use my skills as a former journalist to demystify data science/programming concepts so beginners to professionals can target, land and excel in data-driven roles.

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