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Elasticsearch:Billing FAQ

Last Updated:Jan 26, 2024

This topic provides answers to some frequently asked questions about the billing of Alibaba Cloud Elasticsearch clusters and Logstash clusters.

Overview

Are discounts offered for Elasticsearch clusters?

For the same usage duration, subscription Elasticsearch clusters offer a better price point than pay-as-you-go Elasticsearch clusters. In addition, higher discounts are offered for subscription Elasticsearch clusters with subscriptions of one or more years. You can view the actual discounts in the console.

Is the X-Pack plug-in provided by an Elasticsearch cluster free of charge?

The X-Pack plug-in of the Platinum edition is integrated into Elasticsearch clusters and does not incur additional fees.

Does the network bandwidth consumed by Elasticsearch clusters incur traffic fees?

You are not charged for traffic generated in the following scenarios:

  • Access to an Elasticsearch cluster within the same region over an internal network.

  • Access to an Elasticsearch cluster across regions over the Internet. You can access an Elasticsearch cluster over the Internet free of charge. The default bandwidth is 5 Gbit/s.

Does the system automatically release an expired subscription Elasticsearch cluster?

If you do not enable auto-renewal for your subscription Elasticsearch cluster, the system automatically releases the cluster after the cluster expires. For more information about how to enable auto-renewal, see Enable auto-renewal for a cluster.

How do I recover an Elasticsearch cluster that is released after it expires? Can data be recovered if I renew the cluster?

The system releases an Elasticsearch cluster 30 days after the cluster expires. After the cluster is released, the data in the cluster is deleted and cannot be restored, and the cluster cannot be recovered or renewed.

If you have created a manual snapshot for the cluster, you can search for the snapshot in the Object Storage Service (OSS) repository that is associated with the cluster.

How do I back up data for an Elasticsearch cluster that is suspended upon expiration?

After an Elasticsearch cluster is suspended, it is frozen. You are not allowed to back up data for the cluster. We recommend that you back up data for your Elasticsearch cluster when the cluster can provide services.

Where can I view the snapshots of an Elasticsearch cluster?

The manual snapshots of an Elasticsearch cluster are stored in the OSS repository that is associated with the cluster. The snapshots are not deleted after the cluster is released. The automatic snapshots of an Elasticsearch cluster are created by the system. You are not allowed to view the snapshots. The system deletes the automatic snapshots after the cluster is released.

How do I enable manual renewal for an Elasticsearch cluster?

Manual renewal applies only to subscription clusters. For more information about how to enable manual renewal, see Renew a cluster.

How do I enable auto-renewal for an Elasticsearch cluster?

Auto-renewal applies only to subscription clusters. For more information about how to enable auto-renewal, see Renew a cluster.

How much can I save if I switch the billing method of a cluster from pay-as-you-go to subscription?

The savings cannot be accurately calculated. On the page for switching the billing method from pay-as-you-go to subscription, the specific subscription amount is displayed. You can compare the amount displayed on the page with the daily fee that you pay when you use the pay-as-you-go billing method.

What do I do if an error occurs when I switch the billing method of an Elasticsearch cluster or if the billing method of an Elasticsearch cluster cannot be switched?

We recommend that you troubleshoot the error based on the following instructions:

  1. Check whether the version of the cluster is V7.4 or whether the specifications of data nodes in the cluster are 1 vCPU and 2 GiB of memory or 2 vCPUs and 2 GiB of memory. Clusters of V7.4 and clusters whose data node specifications are 1 vCPU and 2 GiB of memory or 2 vCPUs and 2 GiB of memory are no longer provided. If you want to switch the billing method of such a cluster, we recommend that you upgrade the version or configuration of the cluster first.

  2. In the left-side navigation pane of the User Center, click Orders. On the page that appears, check whether a failed or unpaid order exists. If a failed or unpaid order exists, we recommend that you cancel or complete the order.

  3. If the cluster is a subscription cluster, go to the Renewal page of the User Center. Then, check whether the cluster has a renewal order that does not take effect. A renewal order takes effect for a cluster one day before the cluster expires. If the cluster has a renewal order that does not take effect, unsubscribe from or renew the cluster.

  4. Check whether an error message appears to indicate that the operation you perform on the cluster is not supported. The error message is returned because the nodes in the cluster have low specifications. We recommend that you upgrade the configuration of the cluster before you switch the billing method of the cluster. For example, you can increase the storage capacity of the nodes.

    Important

    After you upgrade the configuration of a cluster, the system restarts the cluster. Therefore, we recommend that you upgrade the configuration of a cluster during off-peak hours.

  5. Check whether the load of the cluster is high. If the load of the cluster is high, data scheduling at the backend may fail.

How do I request a refund after I scale in an Elasticsearch cluster?

A cluster scale-in involves a refund. The refund takes effect immediately after the cluster is scaled in. The following descriptions provide the refund policies:

  • Subscription cluster: You are refunded based on the number of removed nodes and the remaining subscription period of the cluster.

  • Pay-as-you-go cluster: After the cluster is scaled in, you are charged on an hourly basis based on the number of remaining nodes.

Are discounts offered for Logstash clusters?

For the same usage duration, subscription Logstash clusters offer a better price point than pay-as-you-go Logstash clusters. In addition, higher discounts are offered for subscription Logstash clusters with subscriptions of one or more years. You can view the actual discounts in the console.

How do I enable auto-renewal for a Logstash cluster?

Auto-renewal applies only to subscription clusters. For more information about how to enable auto-renewal, see Renew a cluster.