This feature is in internal preview and is available only to users added to the whitelist. If the entry point is not visible in the DMS console, create a backup by using a backup schedule list instead.
Data Disaster Recovery lets you back up Alibaba Cloud databases, self-managed databases on Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instances, and cloud databases from third-party providers — all from a single place. This topic covers the full setup: adding a data source, authorizing your database credentials, and configuring a backup policy.
Before you begin
Make sure that:
Your database is one of the following supported types:
Alibaba Cloud databases: ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL, ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL, ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server, or PolarDB for MySQL
Self-managed databases on ECS instances: MySQL
Cloud databases from third-party providers: MySQL
If you are operating as a Resource Access Management (RAM) user, the AliyunDBSFullAccess policy is attached to your RAM user. For details, see Grant permissions to a RAM user
Limitations
Only logical backup is supported. Physical backup is not supported. For a comparison of backup modes, see Logical backup, physical backup, and snapshot.
Cross-region backup is not supported. The backup schedule and the data source must reside in the same region.
Backup tasks affect database performance. Schedule them during off-peak hours.
Step 1: Add your data source
How you add a data source depends on where your database is hosted.
Self-managed databases on ECS instances
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. On the Self-managed Database on ECS tab, click Add Data Source.
Select an ECS instance and click Next.
In the Configure Backup Schedule step, configure the following parameters and click OK.
Parameter Description Engine type The database engine type. Set this to MySQL. Backup method The backup method. Set this to Logical Backup. For details, see Logical backup, physical backup, and snapshot. Port The port used to connect to the database. The default port for MySQL is 3306. Data source name A descriptive name that is easy to identify. 
On-premises databases and third-party cloud databases
For on-premises databases, databases in data centers, and cloud databases from third-party providers, choose one of the following options:
Automatic backup for services: Data Disaster Recovery connects directly to your database and backs it up automatically. This is the recommended approach for most cases.
Automatic backup for users: You upload backup sets to Data Disaster Recovery yourself. This option is for cases where the data format and protocol reside locally. For setup details, see Automatic backup for users.
Set up automatic backup for services
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. On the On-premise Database and Cloud Database from Third-party Provider tab, choose Automatic Backup for Services and click Add Data Source.
In the dialog box, configure the following parameters and click OK.
Parameter Description Engine type The database engine type. Set this to MySQL. Backup method The backup method. Set this to Logical Backup. For details, see Logical backup, physical backup, and snapshot. Network type How Data Disaster Recovery connects to your database:<br>- Public Network (Classic Network): Connects over the internet using public IP addresses.<br>- Proprietary Network (VPC/Leased Line): Connects over a private network. For details on VPC, see What is VPC?.<br> ImportantClick Configure Whitelist in the console to add the required CIDR blocks to your database's security settings so that Data Disaster Recovery can reach your database. For details, see Manually add the CIDR blocks of Data Disaster Recovery to the security settings of self-managed databases.
Proprietary Network (VPC/Leased Line) The VPC in which the database is deployed. This parameter appears only when Network type is set to Proprietary Network (VPC/Leased Line). Source database IP address The endpoint of the database to back up. Port The port used to connect to the database. The default port for MySQL is 3306. Data source name A descriptive name that is easy to identify. 
Step 2: Authorize your database account
After your data source appears on the Disaster Recovery Data Source page, provide database account credentials so that Data Disaster Recovery can connect and run backups.
The account must have the permissions required for backup and restore operations. For the full list, see Account permissions.
If the account or password of the source database changes, update the credentials and re-authorize to keep backups running correctly.
Authorization status
Authorize an Alibaba Cloud database
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. On the Cloud Database tab, click the data source ID to open its details page.
Choose Backup Policies > Logical Backup, then click Account Authorization.
Enter the Database Account and Password, then click Authorize.
After verification completes, click OK.
Authorize a self-managed database on an ECS instance
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. On the Self-managed Database on ECS tab, find the data source and click Account Authorization in the Actions column.
Enter the Database Account and Password, then click Authorize.
After verification completes, click OK. When the credentials are valid, Authorized appears in the Authorization Status of Data Source column.
Authorize an on-premises or third-party cloud database
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. Choose On-premise Database and Cloud Database from Third-party Provider > Automatic Backup for Services, find the data source, and click Account Authorization in the Actions column.
For data sources on the Automatic Backup for Users tab, account authorization is not required. For details, see Automatic backup for users.
Enter the Database Account and Password, then click Authorize.
After verification completes, click OK. When the credentials are valid, Authorized appears in the Authorization Status of Data Source column.
Step 3: Configure a backup policy
A backup policy defines when Data Disaster Recovery backs up your database and how long backup sets are retained. Once configured, the system runs data backups and log backups automatically.
Default backup policy
When you configure a backup schedule, Data Disaster Recovery applies these defaults:
| Setting | Default | Configurable? |
|---|---|---|
| Log backup | Enabled; logs are readable | No — log backup cannot be disabled |
| Log backup retention | 30 days | No |
| Data backup | Enabled; runs every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday | Yes — modify after initial setup |
| Data backup retention | 7 days (valid range: 7–3650 days) | Yes — modify after initial setup |
To change the data backup cycle, start time, or retention period after your initial setup, see Modify the backup policy.
Billing
Configuring a backup policy creates a backup schedule, which is a billable resource.
| Charge | Description |
|---|---|
| Backup schedule fee | Charged based on region, specification, quantity, and subscription duration. The price on the purchase page is authoritative. |
| Backup fee | Each backup schedule includes a free storage quota. If backup data exceeds the free quota, the excess is charged. The free quota varies by specification. For details, see Backup fees. |
| Storage fee | Charged based on the total backup data stored in built-in storage. For details, see Storage fees. |
Storage fees are not charged at purchase time. You are charged based on actual backup usage.
Choose a specification
Backup schedule specifications determine backup and restore throughput. Available specifications: micro, small, medium, large, and xlarge.
For production databases or any workload where fast restore matters, use xlarge or large.
For databases with large tables, complex schemas, or large fields, use a higher specification to prevent backup failures caused by insufficient resources.
For non-critical workloads, choose based on data volume and cost requirements. For guidance, see Select a backup schedule type.
The xlarge specification has no upper limit on backup data volume.
Pay-as-you-go billing is not supported for backup schedules. Only subscription pricing is available.
Configure a backup policy for an Alibaba Cloud database
Purchase a backup schedule
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. On the Cloud Database tab, click the data source ID to open its details page.
Choose Backup Policies > Logical Backup and click Configure Backup Policy.
In the Select Backup Schedule step, click Purchase Backup Schedule.
On the purchase page, configure the following parameters and click Buy Now.
Parameter Description Product type Select Backup Schedule. Region The region in which to store backup data. This must match the region of the data source. Data source type Select MySQL. Specification The backup schedule specification. Higher specifications provide higher backup and restore performance. See Choose a specification for guidance. Backup method Select Logical Backup. Storage size No capacity selection is required. Storage is charged based on actual data volume. See Storage fees. Resource group The resource group for the backup schedule. Use the default or select one based on your requirements. Quantity The number of backup schedules to purchase. Each database instance requires its own backup schedule. For example, to back up two database instances, purchase two backup schedules. Subscription duration The subscription duration for the backup schedule. On the Confirm Order page, review the order, accept the terms of service, and click Pay.
After payment, return to the Select Backup Schedule step and click Paid to view the new backup schedule.
Create the backup policy
In the Select Backup Schedule step, select the backup schedule and click Next.
In the Select Database and Table step, select the databases and tables to back up, click the
icon to move them to Selected Objects, and click Submit.
On the Backup Policies page, click the Logical Backup tab and then click Start. Clicking Start immediately triggers a full backup and an incremental backup.
This step is optional. If you skip it, Data Disaster Recovery initiates the first backup automatically based on the backup policy.
Configure a backup policy for a self-managed database on an ECS instance
Purchase a backup schedule
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. On the Self-managed Database on ECS tab, click the data source ID to open its details page.
On the Backup Policies page, click Configure Backup Policy.
In the Select Backup Schedule step, click Purchase Backup Schedule.
On the purchase page, configure the following parameters and click Buy Now.
Parameter Description Product type Select Backup Schedule. Region The region in which to store backup data. This must match the region of the ECS instance. Data source type Set to MySQL. Specification The backup schedule specification. See Choose a specification for guidance. Backup method Select Logical Backup. Storage size No capacity selection is required. Storage is charged based on actual data volume. See Storage fees. Resource group The resource group for the backup schedule. Quantity The number of backup schedules to purchase. Each database instance requires its own backup schedule. Subscription duration The subscription duration for the backup schedule. On the Confirm Order page, review the order, accept the terms of service, and click Pay.
After payment, return to the Select Backup Schedule step and click Paid to view the new backup schedule.
Create the backup policy
In the Select Backup Schedule step, select the backup schedule and click Next.
In the Select Database and Table step, select the databases and tables to back up, click the
icon to move them to Selected Objects, and click Submit.On the Backup Policies page, click the Logical Backup tab and then click Start. Clicking Start immediately triggers a full backup and an incremental backup.
This step is optional. If you skip it, Data Disaster Recovery initiates the first backup automatically based on the backup policy.
Configure a backup policy for an on-premises or third-party cloud database
This section applies to data sources using Automatic Backup for Services. For Automatic Backup for Users, see Automatic backup for users.
Purchase a backup schedule
Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
In the top navigation bar, choose Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
If you use the DMS console in simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and disaster recovery (DBS) > Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.Select a region. Choose On-premise Database and Cloud Database from Third-party Provider > Automatic Backup for Services and click the data source ID to open its details page.
On the Backup Policies page, click Configure Backup Policy.
In the Select Backup Schedule step, click Purchase Backup Schedule.
On the purchase page, configure the following parameters and click Buy Now.
Parameter Description Product type Select Backup Schedule. Region The region in which to store backup data. The backup schedule must reside in the same region as the data source. Data source type Set to MySQL. Specification The backup schedule specification. See Choose a specification for guidance. Backup method Select Logical Backup. Storage size No capacity selection is required. Storage is charged based on actual data volume. See Storage fees. Resource group The resource group for the backup schedule. Quantity The number of backup schedules to purchase. Each database instance requires its own backup schedule. Subscription duration The subscription duration for the backup schedule. On the Confirm Order page, review the order, accept the terms of service, and click Pay.
After payment, return to the Select Backup Schedule step and click Paid to view the new backup schedule.
Create the backup policy
In the Select Backup Schedule step, select the backup schedule and click Next.
In the Select Database and Table step, select the databases and tables to back up, click the
icon to move them to Selected Objects, and click Submit.On the Backup Policies page, click the Logical Backup tab and then click Start. Clicking Start immediately triggers a full backup and an incremental backup.
This step is optional. If you skip it, Data Disaster Recovery initiates the first backup automatically based on the backup policy.
Modify the backup policy
Adjust the backup cycle, start time, or retention period at any time after the initial setup.
Only the data backup policy can be modified. Log backup settings cannot be changed: log backup is always enabled, readable, and retained for 30 days.
Changes take effect immediately. Existing backup sets are retained based on the updated retention policy.
Schedule backups during off-peak hours to minimize performance impact on your database.
Steps:
Click the data source ID to open its details page.
For Alibaba Cloud databases: choose Backup Policies > Logical Backup and click Edit.
For self-managed databases on ECS, on-premises databases, and third-party cloud databases: on the Backup Policies page, click Edit.
In the dialog box, update the data backup policy and click OK.
View backup data
Alibaba Cloud databases
On the Backup Data page, click the Logical Backup tab to view data backups and log backups.
Self-managed databases on ECS, on-premises databases, and third-party cloud databases
On the Backup Data page, view data backups and log backups directly.
FAQ
Does backing up a database affect its performance?
Yes. Backup tasks consume database resources. Schedule backups during off-peak hours to reduce impact. For more information, see What is the impact of backup on databases?
Can I upgrade or downgrade the specification of a backup schedule after purchase?
No. Specification changes are not supported after purchase.
What's next
Download backup data: Download data or log backup sets to your local machine for archiving, or upload them to Object Storage Service (OSS). See Download a data or log backup set.
Restore from a backup: Restore data or log backup sets to the original RDS instance or a new one. See Restore data from a logical backup.
Run a manual backup: Trigger an on-demand backup outside the scheduled backup cycle. See Manually initiate a backup task.