Are you interested in exploring Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and its services but not quite ready to commit? The BigQuery Sandbox may be just what you need!
“Why can’t I just use the free tier?”
The difference between the Sandbox and the free tier is that you need to provide a credit card to use the free tier. On the free tier, you will be automatically charged for any cloud costs you consume over the limit. The Sandbox is truly free, and you’ll be kicked/locked out before you incur costs.
What is it?
The BigQuery Sandbox is a free, no-cost way to experiment with BigQuery, Google's fully-managed, serverless data warehouse. With the Sandbox, you can try out BigQuery's powerful analytics and data processing capabilities without incurring any charges.
What can you do with the BigQuery Sandbox?
The Sandbox allows you to work with BigQuery's public datasets or upload your own data to test out queries, build dashboards, or create machine learning models. You can also use the Sandbox to explore BigQuery's integration with other GCP services, such as Cloud Dataflow or Cloud Dataproc. Find out how BigQuery fits into an organisational data stack here.
How to get started with the BigQuery Sandbox
Getting started with the BigQuery Sandbox is quick and easy. All you need is a Google account and a few minutes of your time.
- Go to the BigQuery Sandbox page on the GCP website.
- Click on the "Activate" button to create a new project.
- You'll be taken to the GCP console.
- Once your project is created, you can immediately start exploring BigQuery's features and public datasets.
It's that simple!
Conclusion
The BigQuery Sandbox is a great tool for anyone who wants to experiment with BigQuery and see what it's capable of. Whether you're a data analyst, data scientist, or just curious about GCP, the Sandbox is a risk-free way to get started. So why not give it a try today?
Limitations
You’re not getting away completely scot-free! The BigQuery sandbox is subject to the following limits:
- All BigQuery quotas and limits apply.
- You are granted the same free usage limits as the BigQuery free tier, including 10 GB of active storage and 1 TB of processed query data each month.
- All BigQuery datasets have a default table expiration time, and all tables, views, and partitions automatically expire after 60 days.
- The BigQuery sandbox does not support several BigQuery features, including the following:
Curious about BigQuery? We have a bunch of services all around using BigQuery to help you improve data within your organisation. Let us know what you need, and we'll sort you out!
