This topic outlines Cloud Backup ECS Backup Essential Edition. It covers the introduction to the service, its benefits, how it works, procedures, and billing.
Introduction
ECS Backup Essential Edition is a subscription-based service from Alibaba Cloud Cloud Backup designed for ECS data protection. It provides basic backup for files, self-managed databases such as MySQL, Oracle, and SQL Server, and entire ECS instances. This service meets the basic data backup and recovery needs of small to medium-sized customers and developers, helping them protect ECS data and 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
Easy budget estimation
Billing is based solely on the number of ECS instances that you need to back up. You do not need to factor in storage usage after deduplication and compression.
Controllable costs
If the total amount of ECS data protected by a subscription instance exceeds the 500 GB limit, the backup job fails. This prevents unexpected pay-as-you-go fees.
Simple configuration
The backup process is highly simplified. It features preset policies and one-click configuration, which reduces the learning curve.
Single interface
You can perform all operations on a single interface. This eliminates the need to switch between different pages and enables efficient backup management.
Scenarios
This service is ideal for budget-sensitive scenarios that require simple backup and recovery for ECS files, ECS databases, and entire ECS instances.
For example, you have an ECS instance in a region. This instance contains 200 GB of files and a 150 GB MySQL database that you need to back up. Your backup and recovery needs are simple. You only require basic backups of ECS files and the MySQL database to recover data in the event of data loss. You do not need enterprise-level features such as geo-disaster recovery or cross-account backup. In this scenario, ECS Backup Essential Edition offers significant advantages.
How it works
ECS Backup Essential Edition supports ECS file backup, ECS instance backup, and ECS database backup. The working principles are the same as those of the full-featured version of Cloud Backup. ECS Backup Essential Edition simplifies the purchasing and usage processes to help you manage backups in a more cost-effective, efficient, and centralized manner.
For more information about how each backup feature works, see the following topics:
The following figure shows the interface for backing up ECS files, ECS databases, and entire ECS instances using ECS Backup Essential Edition.
Feature limitations
Each subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition can protect up to 500 GB of ECS data. This limit applies only to the total source size of ECS file backups and ECS database backups. It does not apply to the storage of instance backups. If the limit is exceeded, the backup job fails. You can either reduce the number of files and database instances that you back up or switch to the full-featured version.
You can attach a subscription instance to only one ECS instance.
A fixed backup policy is used. Backups are performed once a day and retained for 30 days. The policy cannot be modified.
You cannot delete individual backup points.
Replication to destination backup vaults (backup vault replication) is not supported.
Cross-account backup is not supported.
Automatic archiving of backup data is not supported.
Database backup does not support real-time or log backups. Full and incremental backups are automatically configured.
Instance backup does not support application-consistent settings or cross-instance consistency groups.
ECS Backup Essential Edition is not covered by the Cloud Backup Service-Level Agreement (SLA).
Procedure
The following steps describe how to use ECS Backup Essential Edition in the Cloud Backup console:
Purchase a subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition
Before you can back up ECS files, ECS databases, or entire ECS instances from the unified interface, you must purchase a subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition.
After you attach the subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition to an ECS instance, you can use the unified interface to back up ECS files, ECS databases, and entire ECS instances.
Restore ECS files, an ECS instance, or an ECS database
If an issue occurs with the files, the database, or the entire instance on your ECS instance, you can click an available recovery point on the backup timeline to start the recovery. You can also add an ECS instance as a dedicated recovery destination. You can then convert this instance into a regular ECS instance for both backup and recovery.
Billing
The following fees are incurred when you use ECS Backup Essential Edition:
Subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition
You must purchase a subscription instance in advance. ECS Backup Essential Edition uses a subscription billing method and charges based on the number of instances. When you use ECS Backup Essential Edition, the only Cloud Backup fee that you incur is for the subscription instance. For more information, see Subscription instances of ECS Backup Essential Edition.
NoteThe ECS instance backup feature is a backup orchestration service provided by Cloud Backup that is based on the disk snapshot feature. To back up ECS instances, you must also activate the snapshot service. The first time you perform an ECS instance backup, follow the on-screen instructions to activate the snapshot service.
The storage used for ECS instance backup does not count toward the total data quota of the protected ECS instance. Cloud Backup does not charge for software usage or storage. Snapshot fees are charged by the snapshot service. For more information about billing, see Billing overview of ECS snapshots.
Differences in billing methods between standard ECS backup features and ECS Backup Essential Edition
Standard ECS backup features | ECS Backup Essential Edition | |
Billable items |
| Only one billable item is involved: the subscription instance of ECS Backup Essential Edition. The cost is simple and predictable. If the storage capacity is insufficient, the backup job stops and you are notified. No extra fees are automatically incurred. If you use ECS instance backup, snapshot fees are charged by the snapshot service. |
Billing method | Pay-as-you-go or resource plan deduction | Subscription only |
What to do next
Learn how to back up ECS files separately. For more information, see ECS file backup.
Learn how to back up ECS databases separately. For more information, see ECS database backup.
Learn how to back up ECS instances separately. For more information, see ECS instance backup.
Learn about the best practices of Cloud Backup. For more information, see Best practices.