Config Connector brings Google Cloud resource management into the Kubernetes ecosystem, enabling true GitOps for infrastructure.
What is Config Connector?
Config Connector is a Kubernetes add-on that lets you manage Google Cloud resources using standard Kubernetes tooling. Instead of using separate tools like Terraform or the gcloud CLI, you define GCP resources as Kubernetes Custom Resources in YAML files. Config Connector watches these resources and creates, updates, or deletes the corresponding Google Cloud resources to match your desired state.
Core Features
- 150+ supported resources: Manage Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, IAM, and more
- Kubernetes-native: Use kubectl, Helm, Kustomize, and ArgoCD with GCP resources
- Continuous reconciliation: Automatic drift detection and correction
- Workload Identity: Secure authentication without service account keys
- Namespace isolation: Scope resources to Kubernetes namespaces
- Dependency management: Resources reference each other using Kubernetes object references
Typical Use Cases
GitOps Infrastructure Management
Store all infrastructure definitions in Git alongside application code. Use ArgoCD or Flux to automatically apply changes when commits are merged. Pull requests become infrastructure change reviews with full audit trails.
Self-Service Developer Platforms
Platform teams define templates for common infrastructure patterns. Developers request resources by creating Kubernetes objects, and Config Connector provisions them automatically. No need for developers to have direct GCP console access.
Multi-Environment Deployments
Use Kustomize overlays to define environment-specific variations. The same base infrastructure definition deploys to development, staging, and production with appropriate sizing and configuration differences.
Benefits
- Unified tooling: One workflow for applications and infrastructure
- GitOps-ready: Native integration with ArgoCD, Flux, and other GitOps tools
- Continuous compliance: Drift detection ensures actual state matches desired state
- No external state: Kubernetes is the source of truth, no separate state files
- Team familiarity: Kubernetes teams use skills they already have
Integration with innFactory
As a Google Cloud Partner, innFactory helps you implement Config Connector for infrastructure management. We design GitOps workflows with ArgoCD, create reusable resource templates for your organization, and train your teams on Kubernetes-native infrastructure management.
Available Tiers & Options
GKE Add-on
- Automatic installation and updates
- Google-managed lifecycle
- Integrated with GKE
- Less configuration flexibility
Manual Installation
- Full control over version
- Works on any Kubernetes cluster
- Custom namespace configuration
- Manual upgrade management
Typical Use Cases
Technical Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Config Connector?
Config Connector is a Kubernetes add-on that allows you to manage Google Cloud resources using Kubernetes Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs). You define GCP resources like Cloud SQL databases or Pub/Sub topics as YAML manifests, and Config Connector creates and manages them.
How does Config Connector compare to Terraform?
Both manage infrastructure as code. Terraform uses its own state file and HCL language. Config Connector uses Kubernetes as the state store and standard YAML manifests. Teams already using Kubernetes often prefer Config Connector for its native integration and continuous reconciliation.
Which Google Cloud resources are supported?
Config Connector supports over 150 Google Cloud resource types including Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, IAM, and networking resources. Google continuously adds support for new resources.
Can I use Config Connector outside GKE?
Yes. While the GKE add-on is the easiest installation method, Config Connector can be manually installed on any Kubernetes cluster, including on-premises clusters or other cloud providers' managed Kubernetes services.
How does drift detection work?
Config Connector continuously reconciles the desired state in Kubernetes with the actual state in Google Cloud. If someone modifies a resource outside of Kubernetes, Config Connector detects the drift and can automatically restore the desired state.
