Guide to Setup a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Subscription

Step 1: Access the GCP Console

1. Open your web browser and go to https://console.cloud.google.com/

2. If you're not already signed in, click the "Sign In" button in the top right corner.

3. Use your Google account credentials to log in. If you don't have a Google account, you'll need to create one first.

Step 2: Navigate the Console

Once you're logged in, you'll see the Google Cloud Console dashboard. This is your central hub for managing all GCP services and settings.

Step 3: Set Up Billing

Billing is crucial for accessing GCP services. Here's how to set it up:

1. In the left-hand menu, click on "Billing"

2. If you don't have a billing account yet, click "Create billing account"

3. Fill in the required information:

   • Name for your billing account

   • Your country

   • Tax information (if applicable)

4. Click "Continue" to proceed to payment method setup

5. Add a payment method:

   • Enter your credit or debit card details

   • Google may place a small temporary hold on your card to verify it

6. Review and accept the Google Cloud Platform Terms of Service

7. Click "Start my free trial" to activate your account

Note: Google offers a free trial with $300 credit for 90 days. After this period or if you exceed the credit, you'll start being charged based on your usage.

Step 4: Choose a Plan

For most new users, the default "Pay-as-you-go" plan is recommended:

1. This plan charges you only for the resources you use

2. No upfront costs or long-term commitments

3. You can upgrade to committed use contracts later if needed

If you have a promotional code:

1. In the Billing section, look for an option to "Redeem a promotional code"

2. Enter your code and apply it to your account

Step 5: Monitor Your Usage (Optional)

Set up budget alerts to avoid unexpected charges:

1. Go to "Billing" > "Budgets & alerts"

2. Click "Create Budget"

3. Set a budget amount and configure alert thresholds (e.g., alert at 50%, 90%, 100% of budget)

Step 6: Setting up roles and permissions.

Protect your account with these steps:

1. In the left-hand menu, click on "IAM & Admin" > "IAM"

2. Review the users who have access to your project

3. To add a new user:

   • Click "Add" at the top of the page

   • Enter the user's email address

   • Assign them a role (start with basic roles like "Project Creator" for read-only access)

Step 7: Verifying the Super Admin Access

When creating a GCP account, verifying Super Admin access is a crucial step to ensure proper management and security of your Google Cloud resources.

Here's how to verify Super Admin access after creating your GCP account:

1. Sign in to the Google Cloud Console (https://console.cloud.google.com) using the account you designated as the Super Admin.

2. Navigate to the IAM & Admin section by clicking on the menu icon in the top-left corner and selecting "IAM & Admin".

3. In the IAM & Admin dashboard, look for your account email address. It should have the "Owner" role assigned to it, which is equivalent to Super Admin privileges in GCP.

4. To further verify your Super Admin status, try performing an administrative task, such as creating a new project or inviting a new user to the organization.

5. Set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for your Super Admin account to enhance security. This is a critical step, as Google is enforcing two-step verification for all Super Admin accounts.

6. Check the Admin console for additional verification:

7. Go to admin.google.com

8. Sign in with your Super Admin credentials

9. Navigate to Users > Admin roles and privileges

10. Confirm that your account has the Super Admin role assigned

11. Consider setting up alerts for Super Admin activities(Optional):

    1. Use Google Cloud Observability to create alerts for critical actions like SetIamPolicy() API calls

    2. This will notify you when any modifications to IAM policies occur, helping you monitor Super Admin activities

Step 8: Get Help

If you encounter any issues:

1. Use the "Help" menu in the top right of the Console

2. Visit the GCP documentation at https://cloud.google.com/docs

3. Explore community forums or contact GCP support for assistance

By following these steps, you'll have a functional GCP subscription ready for use.