To create a custom network and an automatic VPC network using Google Cloud Platform (GCP), you can follow a series of steps that will allow you to set up and configure your network infrastructure efficiently. In this answer, we will provide a detailed and comprehensive explanation of these steps, based on factual knowledge, to guide you through the process.
Step 1: Accessing the Google Cloud Platform Console
To begin, you need to access the Google Cloud Platform Console. You can do this by opening a web browser and navigating to the GCP Console website (https://console.cloud.google.com/). Sign in to your GCP account using your credentials.
Step 2: Creating a new project
If you don't have an existing project, you will need to create a new one. Click on the project drop-down and select "New Project." Provide a name for your project and click on the "Create" button. Wait for the project to be created, and once it is ready, select it from the project drop-down.
Step 3: Navigating to the VPC Network page
In the GCP Console, click on the "Navigation menu" icon in the top-left corner and go to "VPC Network" under the "Networking" section. This will take you to the VPC Network page, where you can manage your networks.
Step 4: Creating a custom network
To create a custom network, click on the "Create VPC Network" button. Provide a name for your network in the "Name" field. Choose the appropriate "Subnet creation mode" based on your requirements. If you want to create your own IP address range, select "Custom" and enter the desired IP range. Otherwise, you can choose "Auto" to let GCP automatically assign an IP range. Select the appropriate "Routing option" based on your needs. Finally, click on the "Create" button to create the custom network.
Step 5: Configuring firewall rules
After creating the custom network, you can configure firewall rules to control incoming and outgoing traffic. On the VPC Network page, click on the "Firewall rules" tab. Click on the "Create Firewall Rule" button to create a new rule. Provide a name for the rule, specify the source and destination IP ranges, protocols, and ports as needed. Choose the appropriate action (allow or deny) and priority for the rule. Finally, click on the "Create" button to create the firewall rule.
Step 6: Creating an automatic VPC network
To create an automatic VPC network, click on the "Create VPC Network" button on the VPC Network page. Provide a name for your network in the "Name" field. Select the "Auto" option for the "Subnet creation mode." Choose the appropriate "Routing option" based on your requirements. Finally, click on the "Create" button to create the automatic VPC network.
Step 7: Verifying network creation
After creating the custom and automatic VPC networks, you can verify their creation by going back to the VPC Network page. You should see the newly created networks listed there.
By following these steps, you can create a custom network and an automatic VPC network using Google Cloud Platform. Remember to configure the necessary firewall rules to control network traffic effectively.
Other recent questions and answers regarding Cloud VPC:
- How to calculate the IP address range for a subnet?
- What are the IP address ranges for the three subnets created in this tutorial?
- What is the purpose of specifying a region when creating a subnet?
- How do you create a subnet within a custom network?
- What is the difference between a custom network and an automatic VPC network?

