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Database Backup:Use storage plans

Last Updated:Feb 02, 2024

Database Backup (DBS) provides subscription storage plans. After you purchase storage plans by using an Alibaba Cloud account, you can use the storage plans to offset fees that are generated for the built-in DBS storage and sandbox storage used by the backup schedules within the Alibaba Cloud account. You are no longer charged for the used storage space for which fees are offset by storage plans. You are charged only for the excess storage space on a daily basis. This topic describes the offset methods and offset factors that are applicable when you use storage plans. This topic also describes how to purchase a storage plan.

Usage notes

  • Subscription storage plans cannot be used to offset the storage space for cross-region backups.

  • You can purchase multiple storage plans and use them together. For example, you can use one storage plan of 2 TB or two storage plans of 1 TB each to offset 2 TB of storage space.

  • You can renew your storage plans, but you cannot upgrade or unsubscribe from the storage plans.

  • You can view the prices of storage plans on the DBS buy page.

  • Storage plans become invalid when they expire.

Types of storage plans

The following table describes the types of storage plans provided by DBS. You can choose a validity period for the storage plans that you purchase, such as one month, six months, and one year.

Type

Offset scenario

Sandbox storage plan

A sandbox storage plan is used to offset the storage fees for the sandbox instance that is created for the CDM sandbox feature within the Alibaba Cloud account that purchases the sandbox storage plan. For more information, see DBS sandbox fees.

Backup instance storage plan

A backup instance storage plan is used to offset the fees of built-in DBS storage for backup schedules within the Alibaba Cloud account that purchases the storage plan. For more information, see Built-in storage and OSS.

Offset methods

  • DBS calculates the total backup storage space used by your backup schedules on a daily basis.Offset factors are used to calculate the storage space that can be offset by the purchased storage plans. The excess storage is charged by using the pay-as-you-go billing method. For more information about the offset factors and pay-as-you-go billing method, see Use storage plans and Storage fees.

    Note

    For example, if you purchase a storage plan of 1 TB and use storage space of 1.2 TB, 1 TB of storage space is offset by the storage plan, and the rest of 0.2 TB of storage space is billed by using the pay-as-you-go billing method.

  • The quota of a storage plan is used to offset the storage space that you use on a daily basis.

    For example, you purchase a storage plan of 100 GB whose validity period is one month. In this case, 100 GB of storage space is available for offsetting the built-in DBS storage space that you use every day within one month.

Purchase a storage plan

  1. Go to the buy page of storage plans.

  2. Set the Product Type parameter to Storage Bag.

  3. Set the Type, Region, Specification, Quantity, and Duration parameters based on your business requirements.storage

    Parameter

    Description

    Type

    The type of storage plan. In this example, Backup Instance Storage Plan is selected. For more information about other types, see the Types of storage plans section of this topic.

    Region

    The region in which you want to use the storage plan. The default value is Global Common. This indicates that the storage plan can be used in the following regions:

    China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Nanjing-Local Region), China (Beijing), China (Qingdao), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Hohhot), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), China (Heyuan), China (Guangzhou), China (Chengdu), China (Hong Kong), Singapore, Australia (Sydney), South Korea (Seoul), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), Japan (Tokyo), Philippines (Manila), Thailand (Bangkok), India (Mumbai), Germany (Frankfurt), UK (London), US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), and UAE (Dubai).

    Specification

    The specifications of the storage plan.

    Quantity

    The number of storage plans that you want to purchase. Valid values: 1 to 99.

    Duration

    The validity period of the storage plan.

    • Valid values: 1 Month, 2 Months, 3 Months, 4 Months, 5 Months, 6 Months, 7 Months, 8 Months, 9 Months.

    • 1 Year, 2 Years, 3 Years, and 5 Years.

    Note
    • Storage plans become invalid when they expire. For example, if you purchase a storage plan whose validity period is three months, the storage plan becomes invalid within three months after you purchase it.

    • The larger capacity the storage plan has, the larger discount you can obtain.

  4. Click Buy Now.

Comparison between backup instance storage plans and pay-as-you-go

To store large amounts of data, we recommend that you use subscription storage plans because they are more cost-effective than the pay-as-you-go billing method. Storage plans of larger storage capacities provide larger discounts. The following table describes the comparison between the prices for backup instance storage plans and pay-as-you-go. In this example, the China (Hangzhou) region is used. For more information, see Storage fees.

Data volume

Storage plan (USD/month)

Pay-as-you-go (USD/month)

100GB

1.56

1.73

500GB

7.80

8.65

1TB

15.97

17.30

2T

31.95

34.60

5T

79.87

86.5

10T

159.74

173.00