ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL provides the cross-region backup feature. After you enable the cross-region backup feature for your ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance, the backup files of your RDS instance are automatically replicated from the source region to a specified destination region. This facilitates data management and restoration.
Feature description
If a cross-region backup is complete, you can restore the data of the original RDS instance from the generated cross-region backup files to an existing RDS instance or to a new RDS instance that resides in the destination region. For more information, see Restore the data of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance across regions.
- For more information about the automatic backup feature that is provided by ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL, see Enable the automatic backup feature for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
- For more information about the cross-region backup feature that is provided by ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL, see Use the cross-region backup feature for an ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL instance.
- For more information about the cross-region backup feature that is provided by ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance, see Enable cross-region backups for an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance.
Differences between the cross-region backup feature and the automatic backup feature
Item | Cross-region backup feature | Automatic backup feature |
---|---|---|
Default configuration | Disabled. You must enable this feature. | Enabled. |
Storage | Cross-region backup files are stored in a region that is different from the region of the original RDS instance. | Automatic backup files are stored in the region in which the original RDS instance resides. |
Restoration | Data from cross-region backup files can be restored to the following RDS instances:
Note If your RDS instance uses standard SSDs or enhanced SSDs (ESSDs), you can restore
the data only to a new RDS instance in the destination region.
|
Data from automatic backup files can be restored to the following RDS instances:
|
Retention period | After the original RDS instance is released, its cross-region backup files are still retained based on the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. | By default, after the original RDS instance is released, its automatic backup files are retained for seven days. |
Perform cross-region backups in the ApsaraDB RDS console
Prerequisites
- The RDS instance meets the following requirements:
- The RDS instance runs MySQL 5.7 or MySQL 8.0.
- The RDS instance runs RDS Basic Edition or RDS High-availability Edition.
- The RDS instance uses standard SSDs or ESSDs.
Note You can go to the Basic Information page to view the preceding information about the RDS instance. - If your RDS instance uses ESSDs and disk encryption is enabled for the RDS instance, the cross-region backup feature is not supported. For more information about how to check whether disk encryption is enabled for an RDS instance, see Configure the disk encryption feature for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
Billing rules
Item | Destination region | Unit price |
---|---|---|
Cross-region storage fee | China (Beijing), China (Hohhot), China (Ulanqab), China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Shenzhen), China (Heyuan), China (Chengdu), and China (Qingdao) |
USD 0.0009375 per GB per day |
China (Hong Kong), US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), Germany (Frankfurt), UK (London), Japan (Tokyo), Australia (Sydney), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), and India (Mumbai) |
USD 0.001125 per GB per day |
|
Network traffic fee | For more information about the billing rules for each region, see Network traffic fees. |
Usage notes
- The cross-region backup feature allows you to restore the data of your RDS instance only to a region that is different from the region of the RDS instance.
- Cross-region backups do not affect automatic backups. These types of backups can exist at the same time.
- After an automatic backup is complete, a cross-region backup is triggered. During the cross-region backup process, the original RDS instance dumps the generated automatic backup files to the destination region.
- Data backup files and log backup files that are generated by using the cross-region backup feature cannot be downloaded.
- Cross-region backups are not supported in some Alibaba Cloud regions due to network
reasons. The following table lists the Alibaba Cloud regions in which cross-region
backups are supported.
Source region Destination region China (Qingdao), China (Beijing), China (Hohhot), China (Ulanqab), China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Shenzhen), China (Heyuan), and China (Chengdu) China (Beijing), China (Hohhot), China (Ulanqab), China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Shenzhen), China (Heyuan), China (Hong Kong), China (Chengdu), and China (Qingdao) Note The cross-region backup feature allows you to restore the data of your RDS instance only to a region that is different from the region of the RDS instance. The available destination regions vary based on your network environment.Singapore China (Hong Kong), US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), Germany (Frankfurt), UK (London), Japan (Tokyo), Australia (Sydney), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), and India (Mumbai) Germany (Frankfurt) US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), UK (London), Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, Australia (Sydney), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), and India (Mumbai)
Procedure
- Enable cross-region backup
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- Go to the instance details page. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration. On the page that appears, click the Backup Strategy tab. Then, click Edit in the Cross-region Backup Settings section.
Note If the Cross-region Backup Settings section is not displayed, you must check whether the RDS instance meets all prerequisites.
- Configure the following parameters.
Parameter Description Cross-region Backup Specify whether to enable or disable the cross-region backup feature. Select Enable. Backup Region Select the destination region to which the backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated. Retention Period of Cross-region Backup (Days) Specify the retention period of cross-region backup files. Valid values: 7 to 1825. The longest cross-region backup retention period spans five years. Note After the RDS instance expires or is released, its cross-region backup files are still retained based on the specified retention period. You can log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console and go to the Cross-region Backup tab on the Backup and Restoration page of your RDS instance to view the cross-region backup files that do not expire.Cross-region Log Backup Specify whether to enable or disable cross-region log backup. After you enable cross-region log backup, the log backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated to a specified Object Storage Service (OSS) bucket in the destination region. - Click Confirm.
- Modify the cross-region backup settings of an RDS instance
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- Go to the instance details page. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration. On the page that appears, click the Backup Strategy tab. Then, click Edit in the Cross-region Backup Settings section.
- Click Confirm.
- Disable the cross-region backup feature
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- Go to the instance details page. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration. On the page that appears, click the Backup Strategy tab. Then, click Edit in the Cross-region Backup Settings section.
- Set the Cross-region Backup parameter to Disabled and the Retention Period of Cross-region Backup (Days) parameter to 7.
Note After you disable the cross-region backup feature, no new cross-region backup files are generated. The existing cross-region backup files must be retained for at least seven days. You can set the cross-region backup retention period to seven days. After the seven-day retention period that you specify elapses, all existing cross-region backup files are automatically deleted. Then, you are no longer charged for the storage of cross-region backup files.
- Click OK.
- Query and restore data backup files
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- Go to the instance details page. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration. On the page that appears, click the Cross-region Backups tab and select the region in which the cross-region backup sets are stored to view the cross-region backup sets.
- On the Data Backup tab, find the required cross-region backup set and click Restore in the Actions column to restore the data to a new RDS instance to a specific point
in time or by using the backup set.
Note
- You are charged for the new RDS instance. You can view the price of the new RDS instance when you create the instance. For more information, see Restore data to a new RDS instance.
- We recommend that you create a pay-as-you-go RDS instance for the restoration. After the restoration is complete, you can release the new RDS instance. For more information about how to release an RDS instance, see Release or unsubscribe from an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
- You are immediately charged for the new RDS instance after the instance is created.
Perform cross-region backups on an RDS instance that uses local SSDs in the ApsaraDB RDS console
Prerequisites
- The RDS instance runs MySQL 8.0, MySQL 5.7, or MySQL 5.6.
- The RDS instance runs RDS High-availability Edition or MySQL 5.7 on RDS Enterprise Edition.
- The RDS instance uses local SSDs.
Billing rules
Item | Unit price |
---|---|
Cross-region storage fee |
USD 0.0002 per GB per hour |
Network traffic fee | For more information about the billing rules for each region, see Network traffic fees. |
Usage notes
- You can restore data from cross-region backup files to the source region or the destination region. However, if TDE is enabled for the original RDS instance, you can restore data from cross-region backup files only to the source region. For more information, see Configure TDE for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
- Cross-region backups do not affect automatic backups. These types of backups can exist at the same time.
- After an automatic backup is complete, a cross-region backup is triggered. During the cross-region backup process, the original RDS instance dumps the generated automatic backup files to the destination region.
- After you enable the cross-region backup feature, the original RDS instance checks whether valid data backup files are generated over the most recent 24 hours. If no valid data backup files are generated over the most recent 24 hours, the original RDS instance triggers a backup on its secondary RDS instance.
- After you enable cross-region log backups, the original RDS instance checks the valid
data backup files that are generated over the most recent 24 hours.
- If continuous binary log files are generated following the valid data backup files, the original RDS instance dumps the binary log files to the destination region.
- If no continuous binary log files are generated following the valid data backup files, the original RDS instance triggers a backup on its secondary RDS instance.
- Cross-region backups are not supported in some Alibaba Cloud regions due to network
reasons. The following table lists the Alibaba Cloud regions in which cross-region
backups are supported.
Source region Destination region China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Qingdao), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Hohhot), China (Shenzhen), China (Hong Kong), China (Ulanqab), China (Chengdu), China (Guangzhou), and China (Heyuan) China (Hong Kong), China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Qingdao), China (Shenzhen), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Hohhot), China (Beijing), China (Ulanqab), China (Chengdu), China (Guangzhou), and China (Heyuan) Note The backup files from the source region can be replicated to a different region rather than the source region. The available destination regions vary based on your network environment.US (Silicon Valley) US (Virginia) US (Virginia) US (Silicon Valley) China East 1 Finance China East 2 Finance and China South 1 Finance China East 2 Finance China East 1 Finance and China South 1 Finance China South 1 Finance China East 1 Finance and China East 2 Finance
Procedure
- Enable the cross-region backup feature for a single RDS instance
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- Find the RDS instance for which you want to enable the cross-region backup feature.
In the Actions column, choose Note
- You can also go to the Backup and Restoration page, click the Backup Strategy tab, and then click Edit in the Cross-region Backup Settings section.
- If the Cross-region Backup Settings section is not displayed, you must check whether the RDS instance meets all prerequisites.
.
- Configure the following parameters.
Parameter Description Cross-region Backup Specify whether to enable or disable the cross-region backup feature. Select Enable. Backup Region Select the destination region to which the backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated. Retention Period of Cross-region Backup (Days) Specify the retention period of cross-region backup files. Valid values: 7 to 1825. The longest cross-region backup retention period spans five years. Note After the RDS instance expires or is released, its cross-region backup files are still retained based on the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. You can perform the following operations to view the cross-region backup files that do not expire: Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. On the page that appears, click the Cross-region Backup tab.Cross-region Log Backup Specify whether to enable or disable cross-region log backups. After you enable cross-region log backups, the log backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated to a specified OSS bucket in the destination region. - Click Confirm.
- Enable the cross-region backup feature for multiple RDS instances at a time
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- Click the Cross-region Backup tab. On the tab that appears, click the Pending Instances tab.
- Select the RDS instances for which you want to enable the cross-region backup feature.
Then, click Backup Settings.
Note You can also click Settings in the Cross-region Backup Settings column of a single RDS instance to enable the cross-region backup feature only for that RDS instance.
- Configure the following parameters.
Parameter Description Cross-region Backup Specify whether to enable or disable the cross-region backup feature. Select Enable. Backup Region Select the destination region to which the backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated. Retention Period of Cross-region Backup (Days) Specify the retention period of cross-region backup files. Valid values: 7 to 1825. The longest cross-region backup retention period spans five years. Note After the RDS instance expires or is released, its cross-region backup files are still retained based on the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. You can perform the following operations to view the cross-region backup files that do not expire: Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. On the page that appears, click the Cross-region Backup tab.Cross-region Log Backup Specify whether to enable or disable cross-region log backups. After you enable cross-region log backups, the log backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated to a specified OSS bucket in the destination region. - Click OK.
- Modify the cross-region backup settings of an RDS instance
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- On the Backups page, click the Cross-region Backup tab. Click the Backup Instances tab and find the RDS instance whose cross-region backup settings you want to modify.
Then, click Settings in the Cross-region Backup Settings column to modify the cross-region backup settings
of the RDS instance.
Note If the RDS instance is released, you can modify only the cross-region backup retention period.
- Disable the cross-region backup feature for an RDS instance
If you no longer require cross-region backups, you can disable the cross-region backup feature.
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- On the Backups page, click the Cross-region Backup tab. Click the Backup Instances tab and find the RDS instance for which you want to disable the cross-region backup feature. Then, click Settings in the Cross-region Backup Settings column.
- In the dialog box that appears, set the Cross-region Backup Status parameter to Disabled and set the Cross-region Retention Period parameter to 7.
Note After you disable the cross-region backup feature, no new cross-region backup files are generated. The existing cross-region backup files must be retained for at least seven days. You can set the cross-region backup retention period to seven days. After the seven-day retention period that you specify elapses, all existing cross-region backup files are automatically deleted. Then, you are no longer charged for the storage of cross-region backup files.
- Click OK.
- Download the cross-region data backup files of an RDS instance
After a cross-region backup is complete, you can download the generated cross-region backup files in the ApsaraDB RDS console.
- Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instance resides.
- On the Backups page, click the Cross-region Backup tab. Click the Backup Instances tab and click the ID of the RDS instance for which you want to download cross-region backup files.
- On the Data Backup tab or the Log Backup tab, click Download in the Actions column to download the full data backup file or the incremental backup file.
- Click Download.
Note If you download data backup files over an internal network, the traffic is free of charge. If you download data backup files the Internet, the traffic is charged. For more information, see Network traffic fees.
Enable the cross-region backup feature for an RDS instance by using DBS
Prerequisites
- DBS is activated, and a backup schedule is created. For more information, see Purchase a backup schedule.
- The region that you specify on the DBS buy page is different from the region in which the original RDS instance resides.
- The Backup Method parameter is set to Logical Backup for the backup schedule.
- A public endpoint is applied for the original RDS instance. For more information, see Apply for or release a public endpoint.
Billing rules
If you want to store cross-region backup files in the built-in storage of DBS, you are charged for the storage that you use in DBS. For more information, see Billing overview.
Procedure
In this example, the source region is China (Hangzhou), and the destination region is China (Beijing).
Create a cross-region backup for an RDS instance
Download the cross-region data backup files of an RDS instance
- Log on to the DBS console.
- In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup Schedules. In the upper-left corner of the Backup Schedules page, select the region where you purchase the backup schedule. In this example, select the China (Beijing) region.
- Click the Schedule Name and go to the detail page.
- Multiple methods are provided to download data backup files on the detail page. For more information, see Overview.
FAQ
- After I disable the cross-region backup feature for my RDS instance, why am I still
charged for the storage of cross-region backup files?
After you disable the cross-region backup feature for your RDS instance, no new cross-region backup files are generated and you are no longer charged for the traffic that is consumed to transmit cross-region backup files. However, you are still charged for the storage of the existing cross-region backup files within the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. The existing cross-region backup files are retained for at least seven days. Therefore, you must set the cross-region backup retention period to seven days. For more information, see the "Modify the cross-region backup settings of an RDS instance" section of this topic. After the cross-region backup retention period that you specify elapses, all existing cross-region backup files are deleted and you are no longer charged for the storage of cross-region backup files.
Related operations
Operation | Description |
---|---|
Check cross-region backup | Checks whether an instance has a cross-region data backup file that can be used to restore data across regions. |
Restore data to a new instance across regions | Restores the data of an instance to a new RDS instance that resides in a different region than the source region. |
Modify the cross-region backup settings of an ApsaraDB RDS instance | Modifies the cross-region backup settings of an instance. |
Query cross-region backup settings | Queries the cross-region backup settings of an instance. |
Query cross-region data backup files | Queries the cross-region data backup files of an instance. |
Query cross-region log backup files | Queries the cross-region log backup files of an instance. |
Query regions that support cross-region backup | Queries the available destination regions to which the cross-region backup files from a specified source region can be replicated. |
Query the time range to which you can restore data by using a cross-region backup file | Queries the restorable time range that is supported by a specified cross-region backup file. |
Query ApsaraDB for RDS instances on which cross-region backup is enabled | Queries the instances for which the cross-region backup feature is enabled in a specified region and the cross-region backup settings of these instances. |