Can i use Google managed certs with a GCE VM (No LB)?

[dheerajpanyam]

Traditionally SSL certs are meant to be a standalone entity meaning  they are not associated with a LB, that's how it works with the SSL vendors, LetsEncrypt , open SSL etc. However Google managed certs seem to be tied with a LB. I have a GCE VM that runs a website on a NGINX server. I don't want to add costs + add operational complexity by introducing a LB to provision Google managed certs. 

Any roadmap to make these certs a standalone entity?

[kensan · Accepted solution]

Hi @dheerajpanyam, 

Welcome to Google Cloud Community!

Google Managed SSL Certificates require a load balancer to operate effectively. They are intended to simplify the management of SSL certificates by automatically provisioning and renewing them. Google Cloud Platform's Cloud Load Balancing provides a range of advantages for organizations. It enhances application availability, scalability, and performance by distributing traffic among multiple instances, dynamically scaling resources, and directing traffic based on user proximity. Additionally, it offers sophisticated traffic management, security features, and extensive monitoring capabilities. By utilizing Cloud Load Balancing, organizations can maintain high availability, optimal performance, and resilience for their applications in the cloud.

If you still choose not to use Google Cloud Load Balancing, you need to manage your SSL certificate and configure it on your NGINX server.

I hope the above information is helpful.

[dheerajpanyam]

Hey @kensan thanks for the reply. I totally understand all the benefits of a LB but here we are talking about a single VM 😀.  Just evaluating it from a cost and operational overhead perspective. Cost should be fine i believe not many rules are there.