How to Notify Users When GCP Machines Are Not Active

Automating GCP VM Inactivity Notifications

Utilizing Google Cloud Functions in Python Script

import base64
import os
from google.cloud import compute_v1
from google.cloud import pubsub_v1
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from sendgrid import SendGridAPIClient
from sendgrid.helpers.mail import Mail

def list_instances(compute_client, project, zone):
    result = compute_client.instances().list(project=project, zone=zone).execute()
    return result['items'] if 'items' in result else []

def check_last_login(instance):
    # Here you'd check the last login info, e.g., from instance metadata or a database
    # Mock-up check below assumes metadata stores last login date in 'last_login' field
    last_login_str = instance['metadata']['items'][0]['value']
    last_login = datetime.strptime(last_login_str, '%Y-%m-%d')
    return datetime.utcnow() - last_login > timedelta(days=30)

def send_email(user_email, instance_name):
    message = Mail(from_email='from_email@example.com',
                  to_emails=user_email,
                  subject='Inactive GCP VM Alert',
                  html_content=f'<strong>Your VM {instance_name} has been inactive for over 30 days.</strong> Consider deleting it to save costs.')
    sg = SendGridAPIClient(os.environ.get('SENDGRID_API_KEY'))
    response = sg.send(message)
    return response.status_code

def pubsub_trigger(event, context):
    """Background Cloud Function to be triggered by Pub/Sub."""
    project = os.getenv('GCP_PROJECT')
    zone = 'us-central1-a'
    compute_client = compute_v1.InstancesClient()
    instances = list_instances(compute_client, project, zone)
    for instance in instances:
        if check_last_login(instance):
            user_email = 'user@example.com' # This should be dynamic based on your user management
            send_email(user_email, instance['name'])

User Notification via Backend Integration

Using Google Cloud Functions in Node.js

const {Compute} = require('@google-cloud/compute');
const compute = new Compute();
const sgMail = require('@sendgrid/mail');
sgMail.setApiKey(process.env.SENDGRID_API_KEY);

exports.checkVMActivity = async (message, context) => {
    const project = 'your-gcp-project-id';
    const zone = 'your-gcp-zone';
    const vms = await compute.zone(zone).getVMs();
    vms[0].forEach(async vm => {
        const metadata = await vm.getMetadata();
        const lastLogin = new Date(metadata[0].lastLogin); // Assuming 'lastLogin' is stored in metadata
        const now = new Date();
        if ((now - lastLogin) > 2592000000) { // 30 days in milliseconds
            const msg = {
                to: 'user@example.com', // This should be dynamic
                from: 'noreply@yourcompany.com',
                subject: 'Inactive VM Notification',
                text: `Your VM ${vm.name} has been inactive for more than 30 days. Consider deleting it to save costs.`,
            };
            await sgMail

Frequently Asked Questions regarding GCP VM Management

1. A preemptible virtual machine: what is it?
2. A preemptible virtual machine (VM) is an instance of Google Cloud that you may buy for a lot less money than regular instances. But if Google needs to use those resources for other purposes, it might end these instances.
3. How can I find unutilized virtual machines in GCP?
4. Through the GCP dashboard, you may monitor login and usage trends to discover unused virtual machines (VMs). Alternatively, you can put up custom scripts to alert you when certain criteria for inactivity are reached.
5. GCP budget alerts: what are they?
6. GCP budget alerts are notifications that are designed to notify users when their spending over pre-established limits, assisting in the avoidance of unforeseen expenses.
7. Can expenses be reduced by reducing resources?
8. Indeed, cloud computing expenses can be greatly decreased by dynamically scaling down resources when they are not in use, such as during off-peak hours.
9. How should a virtual machine be deleted?
10. Think about data backup, legal data retention requirements, and if the instance might be needed again in the future before destroying a virtual machine. By doing this, data loss is prevented and compliance requirements are satisfied.

Concluding the Cloud Cost Management Process

Using Google Cloud Platform's automated alerting systems for inactive virtual machines (VMs) is a calculated step toward effective cloud resource management. By warning customers about unused resources, this not only lowers costs but also improves overall operating efficiency. Businesses may optimize their cloud spending and cut down on wasteful spending by integrating these technologies to make sure they are only investing in the resources that are actually needed.