When you create a Cloud SQL instance, you need to make the following keydecisions regarding your instance's configuration:

• Choose an edition for your instance
• Choose your instance's machine series and storage option
• Choose your instance's location
• Decide whether to enable data cache

You can select these configurations in any order. However, selecting one optionaffects the options available for others. Start your decision-making process bychoosing the most important or least flexible configuration.

For example, if you create a Cloud SQL Enterprise Plus edition instance, then your instance is limitedto the regions available for Cloud SQL Enterprise Plus edition. However, if you create aCloud SQL Enterprise edition instance, then you can only choose between the general purpose orN4 machine series options.

Choose an edition for your instance

Cloud SQL offers two editions to support your business and applicationneeds:

• Cloud SQL Enterprise Plus edition: offers high performance, availability, and observabilityfor applications. These features extend the core capabilities ofCloud SQL.
• Cloud SQL Enterprise edition: offers all core capabilities of Cloud SQL andsuits applications with less stringent availability and performancerequirements.

The edition you choose affects the region and machine series you can choosefrom. For detailed information about each edition and its configurations, seeChoose a Cloud SQL edition.

Choose your machine series and storage option

Cloud SQL offers various machine series. A machine series is a curatedset of processor and hardware configurations optimized for specificCloud SQL workloads. The machine series available for your instancedepend on its edition, and the storage option depends on the machine series.

The following table lists the machine series and storage options available foreach edition:

The machine series you choose affects the edition, region, and storage option.For more information about machine series options, seeChoose your machineseries. For more informationabout storage options, seeStorage optionsoverview.

Choose your instance's location

You can choose any available region for your instance. However, depending on theCloud SQL edition and machine series you select, available regionsmight be limited.

If you choose your instance's location first, then the region you choose affectsthe edition and machine series. For more information about region availabilityby edition and machine series, seeRegionavailability.

Decide to enable data cache

You can enable data cache for your instance. Data cache isonly available for Cloud SQL Enterprise Plus edition instances, and lets your instance store datapages on high-speed local solid-state drives (SSDs) to accelerate queryprocessing. For an overview of data cacheand recommendations for workloads that perform best with it, seeData cache overview.

What's next

• Create an instance.
• Choose a Cloud SQL edition.
• Choose a machine series.
• Learn more aboutregion availabilityfor Cloud SQL instances.