Support for Google Cloud Deployment Manager will be discontinued on March 31, 2026.
After this date, you won't be able to use the Deployment Manager service. All related APIs and functions will no longer be supported.
What you need to know
We'll be discontinuing support for Deployment Manager on March 31, 2026.
Over the past years, we've focused our efforts on modernizing the Google Cloud deployment experience through Infrastructure Manager (Infra Manager).
What you need to do
If you currently use Deployment Manager, migrate to Infra Manager or an alternative deployment technology before March 31, 2026 to ensure your services continue without interruption.
Complete the following required actions before March 31, 2026:
- Review your use cases and applications that rely on Deployment Manager.
- Decide if Infra Manager meets your needs or if another tool is more suitable.
- Migrate your deployments to your selected platform.
How does Deployment Manager relate to Infrastructure Manager?
Google Cloud offers two distinct services for deploying and managing infrastructure: Deployment Manager (DM) and Infra Manager. While both aim to automate this process, they differ in their approach and underlying technologies.
- Deployment Manager uses YAML-based configuration files and Jinja or Python templates to define infrastructure declaratively.
- Infra Manager leverages Terraform to create infrastructure deployments using infrastructure as code (IaC). You define your infrastructure in Terraform configuration files, which Infra Manager deploys and manages on Google Cloud. Infra Manager provides a managed environment for executing Terraform, simplifying infrastructure management on Google Cloud.
Feature Comparison
There are key differences in the features and functionalities of Deployment Manager and Infra Manager.
Configuration and templating
| Feature | Deployment Manager | Infra Manager | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration language | YAML with Jinja/Python templates | Terraform HCL | Learn Terraform's HCL language and convert existing DM configurations. |
| Template management | Supports reusable templates and composite types (deprecated). | Leverages Terraform modules. | Adapt to Terraform's module system for managing reusable infrastructure components. |
| Source code management | Supports various options for storing configurations. | Supports public and private Git repositories and Cloud Storage buckets, but lacks direct support for private Git repositories. | If you rely on private Git repositories for managing your DM configurations, you may face challenges when migrating your configurations to Infra Manager. |
State management
| Feature | Deployment Manager | Infra Manager | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| State management | Manages deployment state internally. | Stores state files in Cloud Storage. | Familiarize yourself with Terraform's state management (which involves managing state files and potential state locking issues). Infra Manager handles state management automatically. |
Deployment updates and rollbacks
| Feature | Deployment Manager | Infra Manager | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment update mechanism | Supports in-place updates and rolling updates. | Infra Manager manages updates through its CreateDeployment and UpdateDeployment methods. |
Understand Terraform's update mechanisms that may differ from Deployment Manager's update strategies. |
| Rollback capabilities | Offers rollback to previous deployments. | Roll forward by deploying previous Terraform configurations. | Infra Manager provides access to the Terraform state file for each deployment revision, but rolling back to a previous version is a manual process. |
| Preview functionality | Allows previewing changes before deployment. | UseCreatePreview to create and review a Terraform plan. |
Adapt to Terraform's workflow for previewing changes using the terraform plan. |
Integration with Google Cloud services
| Feature | Deployment Manager | Infra Manager | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integration with Google Cloud services | Integrates with various Google Cloud services. | Integrates with Google Cloud through Terraform providers. | Terraform providers offer greater Google Cloud service coverage than Deployment Manager, however some Google Cloud-specific features or integrations may not be readily available in Terraform providers. |
| Access control | Allows integration with Identity and Access Management (IAM) for granular access control to deployments. | Infra Manager also integrates with IAM for granular access control to deployments. | Ensure that appropriate access control mechanisms are implemented when integrating Infra Manager with IAM. The service account you use to create a deployment needs the necessary permissions for the each of the resources you want to deploy. |
Migrate to Infrastructure Manager using DM Convert
You can migrate your deployment experience to Infra Manager using the DM Convert tool. However, there are some Deployment Manager concepts that are not supported by Terraform and cannot be exported to Terraform using DM Convert.
For more information about how DM Convert translates concepts across formats, see Understanding how DM Convert translates concepts across formats.
Convert your configurations and templates to Infrastructure Manager
To convert your Deployment Manager configurations and templates into a Terraform configuration:
- Convert your Deployment Manager configurations and templates into a Terraform configuration and state file.
Import your Terraform resources to Infra Manager.
Delete your Deployment Manager deployment using abandon.
We're here to help
We understand that making these changes may require some planning. Let your respective Google Cloud representative know if you have any other questions, or need assistance with your migration plans. We're here to help you achieve a seamless transition.