Google Cracks Open Access To Its Compute Cloud — A Little Bit

Barb Darrow | GigaOM | April 4, 2013

Summary: Getting into Google Compute Engine isn’t impossible, but it isn’t super easy either. You sign up and wait. Now Google is opening the door to new users willing to pay for support.

The Google Compute Engine — the company’s response to Amazon’s EC2 service — is starting to open the floodgates to new users. While technically still in preview — frankly what at Google is not in preview? — customers willing to plunk down $400 a month for Google Gold customer support can get access to GCE.

Previously GCE was sort of an invite-only sort of thing, which made it analogous to a swank nightclub. If you can make it past the velvet rope and the surly bouncer — perhaps with a wad of cash — you’re in. [...]