How does Google Cloud enable serverless data processing?

Google Cloud enables serverless data processing primarily by utilizing services such as Cloud Functions and Cloud Run. These services are designed to allow users to run code in response to events without the need to manage the underlying infrastructure.

Cloud Functions is a lightweight, event-driven compute solution that automatically scales based on the number of requests or events, allowing developers to focus solely on writing code without provisioning or managing servers. It is particularly useful for processing data that arrives in streams or for automating workflows triggered by various Google Cloud services and external events.

Cloud Run, on the other hand, allows users to run containerized applications in a fully managed environment. It abstracts away the server management, automatically scaling up or down depending on traffic levels, even to zero when not in use. This flexibility enables developers to execute workloads without worrying about managing server resources.

In contrast, utilizing virtual machines exclusively would require users to manage the underlying infrastructure, which contradicts the serverless model. Providing only managed databases does not encompass the full scope of serverless data processing. Lastly, requiring container orchestration does not align with the serverless paradigm, as it necessitates management of containers and workloads, which goes beyond the simplicity and abstraction that serverless solutions aim to achieve.