Become Familiar with Google Cloud Marketplace
Google Cloud Marketplace is rapidly becoming one of the most powerful assets that firms in need of technical tooling and services have at their disposal.
Google Cloud Marketplace is an online store where businesses and developers can discover, purchase, and deploy third-party software, services, and solutions that run on Google Cloud.
Customers worldwide, especially Web3 firms, are increasingly turning to cloud marketplaces for their technical services and products. By 2028, cloud marketplaces are expected to represent an $85B market from $16B in 2023 — a five-time increase in five years.
Third-party companies that are approved on Marketplace provide a wide range of services and products, including, but not necessarily limited to:
- Virtual machine (VM) images — Pre-configured OS and application stacks
- Kubernetes applications — Containerized solutions that run on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
- SaaS applications — Cloud-based software available via subscription
- AI/ML models — Pre-trained models and AI tools
The broad availability of these products and services makes Google Marketplace a great resource for developers looking to integrate third-party solutions into their Google Cloud environment without manual setup.
Blockchain protocol and decentralized app (dApp) teams are exploring their options with APIs, datasets, SaaS applications, and AI tools. Tapping into Google Cloud Marketplace’s long — and growing — list of Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and taking advantage of the many discounts and benefits clients enjoy with BCW, makes it an ideal place for Web3 firms to fulfill their cloud needs.
Web3 companies have a variety of cloud computing needs, including APIs, datasets, SaaS applications, and AI tools. Google Cloud Marketplace offers a wide and expanding range of solutions and opportunities for BCW clients to become Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) themselves. This allows them to tap into the vast, international user base of GCP, gaining exposure and expanding their reach.
How Clients and Independent Software Vendors Benefit
Google Marketplace ISVs have seen a 42% increase in acceleration of deal cycles, translating into faster conversions, higher win rates, and larger deal sizes.
Additionally, Google Cloud Marketplace gives companies & regular users the power to maximally optimise their costs to manage procurements and deployments with greater flexibility. Organisations can enjoy 21.2% lower spending on third-party software, up to $1.7M in annual benefits, and $204K in discounted benefits per purchased software solution over three years.
How BCW Mitigates the Challenges of Marketplace Integration
Getting your Web3 applications vetted for listing on Marketplace can be a time and capital-intensive process. Enlisting BCW reduces the friction associated with the Marketplace vetting process, and ensures your firm is listed in less time at a lower cost.
BCW is a premier sell, premier service and build partner for Google Cloud Marketplace, which places us in a unique position to determine exactly what services and products will best enhance a client’s operations. We utilise our existing resources and partnership with Google Cloud to expedite your firm’s service or product onto Google Cloud Marketplace listing.
The ‘Build’ model empowers Web3 companies to create robust and innovative solutions that are fully aligned with Google Cloud Marketplace requirements. As a Build partner BCW provides comprehensive development and consulting services to help Web3 companies create and optimize their solutions for Google Cloud Marketplace.
BCW provides two key service models for clients that wish to use Google Cloud Marketplace: 1-Click Deploy and Managed Services. These service models, along with our wide range of services, enable clients to cut down integration time by 50%, free up developer resources, and overcome the complexities of technical integrations and approvals.
1-Click Deploy with BCW
Our 1-Click Deploy service model enables clients to deploy their applications to Google Cloud Marketplace as easily as possible within a VM or a Kubernetes/Containerised model.
This model begins by determining requirements and performing scoping for the client. We perform product assessment and categorisation which enables us to fix the pricing model for the client. We also complete documentation and technical scoping.
The next and final stage is the technical integration stage. Here BCW creates and syncs a client’s product entry on the producer portal with Terraform deployment scripts. Content related to the client’s product is uploaded, as is technical integration required for submission to Google Cloud for review. Finally, the client’s product is published with complete quality assurance testing.
Managed Services
BCW also offers the Managed Services model for Google Cloud Marketplace integrations. This three-step process begins with determining the requirements, pricing model, and technical scoping for the client. This step involves assessing the product up for listing and correctly categorizing it so our team can assess pricing and develop its technical documentation.
Next, we ensure the client’s product is ready for deployments on the marketplace product gateway. This step involves determining the payment method which must be integrated. Preparations may include:
- Secure GCP IAM/Service Accounts integration.
- Infra level Pub/Sub & Procurement API setup.
- App layer API integration for Marketplace integration namely GCP Pub/Sub, Procurement API.
- Optional Frontend signup/login integration if pricing model demands it (e.g. SaaS).
Finally, we monitor the marketplace and perform technical iterations and user journey mapping.
Use Case: Successful Google Cloud Marketplace Integration with BCW
BCW was the Google Marketplace integration partner for a prominent Layer-1 (L1) blockchain network that engaged with our Build and Sell models. The successful deployment to Google Marketplace proves the advantages BCW can provide to Web3-based firms seeking similar integrations.
This L1 is a leader in blockchain innovation known for its high-performance, scalable, and secure platform. Network validators benefit from low latency and high throughput which is designed to ensure efficient and profitable operations. The L1’s foundation aims to create a decentralized and open-source ecosystem that empowers developers and businesses.
BCW evaluated the requirements for setting up the L1’s Validator Node, automated the deployment process, and successfully integrated it into the GCP Marketplace, enabling a seamless, one-click deployment solution to streamline validator onboarding.
The L1’s Solution and Successes
The solution involved using GCP’s Producer Portal to manage the L1’s Validator Node deployment. BCW utilized Terraform to automate infrastructure setup, ensuring consistent and repeatable deployments, and configuring GCE VMs with Local SSDs, as well as VPC network and Firewall rules. Rigorous testing was conducted to validate the solution, ensuring reliability and seamless integration into the GCP Marketplace.
BCW measures its success to getting the L1 deployed on Google Marketplace via a number of metrics:
- Achieved 5-minute deployment time for infrastructure and Node binary
- Identified and implemented the recommended costing
- Performed efficient configuration of compute resources
- Ran 15 integration and stress tests on validator nodes under varying load conditions to ensure seamless integration and uptime reliability
Check out this post on X to learn more
Conclusion
Achieving Google Cloud Marketplace integration with BCW empowers businesses with a vast selection of third-party software and services, driving unprecedented growth in the cloud market. Web3 firms looking to develop advanced APIs, AI tools, and data solutions will gain tremendous value from accessing Google Cloud Marketplace’s extensive ISV network and clientele along with the exclusive benefits it provides.
As the industry moves toward cloud marketplace integrations, adopting Google Cloud Marketplace is essential for dApp teams and blockchain foundations seeking seamless integration and enhanced cloud capabilities for success.
