Google Cloud VM Manager

C tier on IT Automation SoftwareScore 6.9 · #15 of 73

Android app: Not listed
Free plan: Yes
Runs on: api, Linux, Web, Windows

cloud.google.com

Summary

Google Cloud VM Manager manages operating systems across Windows and Linux VM fleets running on Compute Engine. Its tools cover patching, inventory, and software configuration policies. Patch jobs apply OS updates on demand or on a schedule, can use selected approvals and pre- or post-patching scripts, and provide compliance reporting. OS inventory records details such as hostnames, OS and kernel versions, installed packages, available updates, Windows applications, and vulnerabilities. OS policies automate and centralize software configuration deployment, maintenance, and reporting. You can manage VM Manager through the Google Cloud console, Google Cloud CLI, or OS Config API; Terraform can extend its scope across projects. Patch jobs operate within one Google Cloud project at a time, though compliance data can be viewed across projects. VM Manager supports Windows Server and several Linux distributions, and projects within VPC Service Controls service perimeters. The free tier covers 100 VMs per Cloud Billing account per month; after that, usage is billed at $0.003 per hour per VM with an active OS Config agent. Non-English OS locales can cause the agent and features to fail.

Who it is for

It suits teams maintaining Windows or Linux VM fleets on Compute Engine that need patching, inventory, and software configuration policies. Teams should account for its English-locale requirement and single-project patch-job scope.

What is good

Schedules or runs OS patches on demand.
Patch jobs include compliance reporting and scripts.
Inventory covers packages, updates, and vulnerabilities.
Integrates with console, CLI, API, and Terraform.

What to know first

Supports only operating systems with an English locale.
Patch jobs target one Google Cloud project at a time.
Creating jobs or policies requires consequential IAM permissions.

Verdict

VM Manager brings patching, fleet inventory, and configuration policies together for Compute Engine environments. Check locale and project-scope limits, and apply least-privilege IAM permissions when assigning access.

Google Cloud VM Manager plans and pricing

All plans

VM Manager Free $0.003 per hour per VM with an active OS Config agent, after the free tier; billed per VM-hour 100 VMs per Cloud Billing account per month free · limited functionality mode has a subset of features at no cost for unlimited VMs cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026

Compared on IT automation software

Free plan: Yescloud.google.com
Deployment model: cloudcloud.google.com
Agent model: agent_basedcloud.google.com
Drift detection: Yescloud.google.com
Patch management: Yescloud.google.com
Policy as code: Yescloud.google.com
Compliance reporting: Yescloud.google.com
Supported platforms: Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux, CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Servercloud.google.com

Facts

Purpose: VM Manager manages operating systems for large Windows and Linux VM fleets running on Compute Engine.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Automation: Google says VM Manager uses automation to improve efficiency and reduce the operational burden of maintaining VM fleets.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Patch controls: Patch jobs can use one-time or recurring schedules, selected patch approvals, and pre- and post-patching scripts.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
OS inventory: OS inventory collects details including hostname, OS and kernel versions, installed packages, available updates, Windows applications and OS vulnerabilities.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
OS policies: OS policies automate and centralize deployment, configuration, maintenance and reporting of software configurations on VMs.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Integrations: VM Manager can be managed through the Google Cloud console, Google Cloud CLI and OS Config API, and Terraform can extend its scope across projects.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Security boundary: VM Manager supports projects within VPC Service Controls service perimeters.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Access control: Creating patch jobs or OS policy assignments requires IAM permissions that Google says can grant the ability to run code on VMs; Google recommends least privilege.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Data retention: OS inventory and vulnerability report data remains until the VM is deleted, but is deleted if the OS Config agent stops reporting for a few days.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Limitations: VM Manager supports only operating systems configured with an English locale; a non-English locale can cause the OS Config agent and VM Manager features to fail.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Patch job scope: Patch jobs can run only on VMs in a single Google Cloud project, although patch compliance data can be viewed across projects.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026
Support: Google Cloud support packages include options such as 24/7 coverage, phone support and access to a technical support manager; VM Manager questions can also be posted to Stack Overflow.docs.cloud.google.com · 7 Oct 2026