You migrated MySQL to Cloud SQL and have Compute Engine VMs that must connect without whitelisting VM IPs. What should you do?

Enabling private IP for the Cloud SQL instance allows Compute Engine VMs within the same Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) network to connect securely without requiring public IP addresses or whitelisting individual VM IPs. This is the recommended and most secure method for internal connections. Whitelisting a project is not a valid Cloud SQL access control mechanism; IP whitelisting is for public IPs. Creating a role in Cloud SQL controls database user permissions, not network access for instances. Creating a VPN between projects is overly complex and unnecessary when private IP within a shared or peered VPC can achieve the same secure internal connectivity.