Persistent Disks

Imagine you are running a virtual machine (VM)

You install software, save files, and store important data…

Suddenly, your VM stops or crashes

What happens to your data?

If storage disappears with the VM, everything is lost

But with Persistent Disks, your data stays safe even if the VM stops or restarts

What are Persistent Disks?

Persistent Disks are block storage devices in GCP that can be attached to Virtual Machines.

They store data permanently, even when the VM is stopped or deleted (if configured).

Key Features

• Persistent Storage → Data remains after VM stops
• High Performance → Fast read/write operations
• Scalable → Resize anytime
• Reliable → Data replication for safety
• Attach/Detach → Can be connected to different VMs

Types of Persistent Disks

Technical Example (Create Disk)

Attach disk to VM:

How Persistent Disks Work

1. Create a disk
2. Attach it to a VM
3. Store data on disk
4. Data remains even if VM stops

1. Database Storage

• Store structured data
• Requires fast access

2. Application Data

• Save user information
• Maintain app state

3. Backup Systems

• Store backups securely
• Restore when needed

4. File Systems

• Act like a hard drive for VM
• Store OS and files