This guide offers solutions for scenarios such as how to connect to ECS instances, change operating systems, resize cloud disks, upgrade or downgrade configurations, and use snapshots or images.
Limits
- For more information about considerations of ECS instances, see Usage notes.
- For more information about limits of ECS resources, see Limits and View quotas (old version).
- If you need to apply for ICP filings for websites deployed on your ECS instance, the instance must meet certain purchase requirements. You can apply for a limited number of ICP filing service numbers for websites that are deployed on each ECS instance. For more information, see Prepare and check the instance and access information. For information about how to apply for ICP filings, see ICP filing application overview.
Create and manage ECS instances
- You can perform the following steps to manage the lifecycle of an ECS instance:
- If the current instance type or network configuration is unsuitable for your business, you can change the instance type, IP address, and peak Internet bandwidth:
- Subscription instances:
- Pay-as-you-go instances:
- IP addresses of ECS instances:
- If the current operating system is unsuitable for your business, you can change the operating system. For more information, see Change the operating system.
- You can use the following features to control and manage ECS instances in a fine-grained manner:
Manage the billing method
- Subscription instances:
You can use one of the following methods to renew subscription instances:
- Pay-as-you-go instances:
You can enable the No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected) feature for pay-as-you-go instances. For more information, see No Fees for Stopped Instances (VPC-Connected).
- Change the billing method of ECS instances:
Improve cost-effectiveness
- You can purchase preemptible instances to reduce costs and achieve automatic scaling by combining with auto provisioning. For more information, see Create an auto provisioning group and Create a preemptible instance.
- You can purchase reserved instances to improve the flexibility of paying for instances and reduce costs. For more information, see Purchase reserved instances.
Create and manage cloud disks
- Create a pay-as-you-go disk.
- Attach a cloud disk.
- Format a data disk for a Linux instance or Format a data disk for a Windows ECS instance.
- Create a snapshot to back up data. For more information, see Create a snapshot.
- If the capacity of the existing system disk or data disk cannot meet your requirements, you can resize the system or data disk. For more information, see Resize disks online (Linux) and Resize disks offline (Linux). If you want to resize the data disk, perform one of the following operations based on your operating system:
- If data error occurs on a cloud disk, you can use a snapshot from a specified point in time to roll back the cloud disk. For more information, see Roll back a disk.
- If you want to restore a cloud disk to its initial status, you can reinitialize the disk. For more information, see Reinitialize a data disk.
- Detach a cloud disk.
- Release a cloud disk.
Create and manage snapshots
- Create a snapshot by using one of the following methods:
- Create a normal snapshot.
- Use an automatic snapshot policy to create snapshots automatically on a regular basis. For more information, see Apply or disable an automatic snapshot policy.
- View the snapshot size.
- Delete unnecessary snapshots to save storage space. For more information, see Reduce snapshot fees.
The common application scenarios for snapshots are as follows:
- To copy or back up data: You can use a snapshot to create or roll back a cloud disk. For more information, see Create a disk from a snapshot and Roll back a disk.
- To ease environment deployment: You can use a system disk snapshot to create a custom image and use the custom image to create instances. For more information, see Create a custom image from a snapshot and Create an ECS instance by using a custom image.
Create and manage custom images
- Create a custom image from a snapshot.
- Create a custom image from an instance.
- Create a custom image by using Packer.
- Copy custom images across regions. For more information, see Copy custom images.
- Share custom images across accounts. For more information, see Share custom images.
- Import custom images.
- Create and import on-premises images by using Packer.
You can export custom images to back up environments. For more information, see Export custom images.
Create and manage security groups

You can clone a security group across regions and network types to simplify business deployment. For more information, see Clone a security group.
If new security group rules disrupt your online business, you can perform a complete or partial restoration of the security group rules. For more information, see Restore security group rules.
Create and bind instance RAM roles
- Optional. Authorize a RAM user to use an instance RAM role. For more information, see Authorize a RAM user to use an instance RAM role.
- Create and bind an instance RAM role. For more information, see Bind an instance RAM role.
- Replace the instance RAM role based on your needs. For more information, see Replace an instance RAM role.
Create and manage SSH key pairs
Create and manage ENIs

- Create an ENI.
- Attach an ENI to an instance or Attach an ENI when you create an instance.
- Optional. Configure an ENI.
- Assign a secondary private IP address.
- Detach an ENI from an instance.
- Delete an ENI.
Use tags
Create and manage launch templates
Create and manage deployment sets
- Create a deployment set.
- Create an ECS instance in a deployment set.
- Change the deployment set of an instance.
- Delete a deployment set.
Use Cloud Assistant
- Optional. Manually install and configure the Cloud Assistant client on some ECS instances. For more information, see Install the Cloud Assistant client.
- Create a script.
- Run commands.
- View the execution result of a script.