Cloud Backup ECS Backup Essential Edition is a subscription service that protects ECS files, self-managed databases, and entire ECS instances at a fixed, predictable cost.
Overview
ECS Backup Essential Edition is a subscription tier of Alibaba Cloud Cloud Backup designed for small to medium-sized businesses and individual developers. It backs up ECS files, self-managed databases (MySQL, Oracle, and SQL Server), and entire ECS instances from a single console, simplifying data protection and helping meet compliance requirements.
ECS Backup Essential Edition is available only in some regions. For a list of supported regions, see Supported regions for subscription instances of ECS Backup Essential Edition.
Key benefits
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Predictable budgeting
Billing is based solely on the number of ECS instances to protect. No need to estimate storage usage after deduplication and compression.
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Cost control
When the total ECS data protected by a subscription instance exceeds the 500 GB quota, the backup job stops automatically, preventing unexpected pay-as-you-go charges.
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One-click setup
Preset backup policies and a streamlined configuration process minimize the learning curve.
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Unified interface
Manage file backups, database backups, and instance backups from a single page without switching between consoles.
Use cases
ECS Backup Essential Edition suits budget-sensitive workloads that need straightforward backup and recovery for ECS files, self-managed databases, and entire ECS instances without enterprise features such as geo-disaster recovery or cross-account backup.
Example: An ECS instance hosts 200 GB of files and a 150 GB MySQL database. The only requirement is to recover data after accidental loss -- no geo-disaster recovery or cross-account backup is needed. ECS Backup Essential Edition covers this scenario in a single subscription at a predictable cost.
How it works
ECS Backup Essential Edition supports three backup types -- ECS file backup, ECS instance backup, and ECS database backup -- using the same mechanisms as the full-featured Cloud Backup edition, while streamlining purchasing and daily operations into a single workflow.
For technical details on each backup type, see:
The following figure illustrates the ECS Backup Essential Edition console.
Limitations
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Each subscription instance protects up to 500 GB of ECS data. This quota covers the combined source size of ECS file backups and ECS database backups only; instance backup storage is excluded. When the quota is exceeded, backup jobs fail. To continue, reduce the data scope or upgrade to the full-featured edition.
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Each subscription instance binds to one ECS instance only.
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The backup policy is fixed: one backup per day with a 30-day retention period. The policy cannot be modified.
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Individual backup points cannot be deleted.
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Backup vault replication (replication to destination backup vaults) is not supported.
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Cross-account backup is not supported.
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Automatic archiving of backup data is not supported.
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Database backup supports only full and incremental backups configured automatically. Real-time and log backups are not available.
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Instance backup does not support application-consistent snapshots or cross-instance consistency groups.
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ECS Backup Essential Edition is not covered by the Cloud Backup Service-Level Agreement (SLA).
Get started
Complete the following steps in the Cloud Backup console:
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Purchase a subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition
Before backing up ECS files, databases, or instances, purchase a subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition.
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After binding the subscription instance to an ECS instance, use the unified interface to back up ECS files, databases, and instances.
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Restore ECS files, an ECS instance, or an ECS database
When files, a database, or an ECS instance encounters an issue, select a recovery point from the backup timeline to restore. You can also add a dedicated ECS instance as a restore destination and later convert it to a regular instance for both backup and recovery.
Billing
ECS Backup Essential Edition incurs the following fees:
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Subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition
ECS Backup Essential Edition uses subscription billing based on the number of instances. This is the only Cloud Backup charge incurred. For pricing details, see Subscription instances of ECS Backup Essential Edition.
Note-
ECS instance backup is a backup orchestration service built on the disk snapshot feature of Cloud Backup. To use ECS instance backup, activate the snapshot service first. On the first instance backup, follow the on-screen instructions to activate the service.
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ECS instance backup storage does not count toward the 500 GB data quota. Cloud Backup does not charge software usage or storage fees for instance backup. Snapshot fees are billed separately by the ECS snapshot service. For billing details, see Billing overview of ECS snapshots.
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Billing comparison: standard ECS backup vs. ECS Backup Essential Edition
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Standard ECS backup features |
ECS Backup Essential Edition |
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Billable items |
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One billable item only: the subscription instance. Costs are simple and predictable. When the data quota is exceeded, backup stops and a notification is sent. No additional charges are incurred automatically. For ECS instance backup, snapshot fees are billed separately by the snapshot service. |
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Billing method |
Pay-as-you-go or resource plan deduction |
Subscription only |
Next steps
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Back up ECS files independently. See ECS file backup.
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Back up ECS databases independently. See ECS database backup.
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Back up entire ECS instances independently. See ECS instance backup.
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Explore Cloud Backup best practices. See Best practices.