What is Google Distributed Cloud?
Google Distributed Cloud enables running Google Cloud services outside the public cloud. Enterprises can run GKE and other services in their own data centers or at edge locations. There are two main variants: Google Distributed Cloud connected for environments with connectivity to Google Cloud, and Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped for fully disconnected, highly regulated environments. The product family has replaced the earlier Anthos branding.
Core Features
- GKE clusters and other Google Cloud services in your own data centers or at the edge
- Consistent APIs with the public Google Cloud
- Central management via the Google Cloud Console for the connected variant
- Air-gapped operation with no connection to Google Cloud for offline and high-security scenarios
- Hardware security with encryption
- Support for Kubernetes and VM workloads, storage, networking, and observability
Typical Use Cases
Data Sovereignty: Regulated industries such as financial services or government must keep data in their own data centers but want to use cloud management.
Edge Processing: Manufacturing, retail, or telecommunications need local data processing with low latency directly where data originates.
Disconnected and Highly Regulated Environments: Air-gapped deployments suit scenarios without permanent internet connectivity or with especially strict compliance requirements, such as the public sector or critical infrastructure.
Benefits
- Full control over data locations
- Unified management with cloud workloads for the connected variant
- Low latencies through local processing
- Google expertise for on-premises and edge Kubernetes
Integration with innFactory
As a certified Google Cloud Partner, innFactory supports you with Google Distributed Cloud: architecture planning, choosing between connected and air-gapped, implementation, and migration of workloads to hybrid environments.
Available Tiers & Options
Google Distributed Cloud connected
- Runs on your own or partner hardware in your data center
- Google-managed software lifecycle
- Consistent APIs and management with the public cloud
- Requires hardware investment or procurement
Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped
- Fully disconnected operation with no connectivity to Google Cloud
- Designed for strict compliance and regulatory requirements
- Purpose-built, Google-supplied hardware
- More complex operations due to lack of cloud connectivity
Typical Use Cases
Technical Specifications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Distributed Cloud connected and air-gapped?
Connected runs on your own or partner hardware in your data center with a Google-managed software lifecycle and connectivity to Google Cloud. Air-gapped runs fully disconnected with no connection to Google Cloud and targets especially strict compliance and regulatory requirements.
Which Google Cloud services are available?
Distributed Cloud offers GKE, data management and AI capabilities, storage, networking, and observability, among others. The feature set differs by deployment model and is smaller than the public cloud but covers most enterprise workloads.
Is Anthos still the right name for this service?
No. Anthos was the earlier brand name for Google's hybrid and multi-cloud Kubernetes offering and has since been folded into the Google Distributed Cloud product family. Older documents that still reference "Anthos" refer to historical names for today's Distributed Cloud products.
Who is Distributed Cloud intended for?
The service targets enterprises with strict data sovereignty requirements, low latency requirements, or operations in disconnected or heavily regulated environments.
How is Distributed Cloud managed?
The connected variant is managed via the Google Cloud Console, so workloads appear alongside cloud resources and can be managed uniformly. Air-gapped environments operate separately from the public cloud.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of Google Cloud (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by Google Cloud.
