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File Storage NAS:Create a file system

Last Updated:Sep 21, 2026

Create a General-purpose NAS or Extreme NAS file system to share files across ECS instances, containers, Function Compute, PAI, and on-premises data centers.

Overview

General-purpose NAS and Extreme NAS file systems differ in features and use cases. Compare them in General-purpose NAS and Extreme NAS.

Prerequisites

File Storage NAS is activated. If you have not activated it, visit the File Storage NAS product details page and activate it.

Important

The activation page sells NAS resource plans, not file systems. Resource plans only offset storage capacity fees. Resource plans.

Create a General-purpose NAS file system

  1. Log on to the NAS console.

  2. At the bottom of the Overview page, click Create General-purpose NAS File System.

  3. On the General-purpose NAS (Pay-As-You-Go) page, configure the following parameters.

    Parameter

    Description

    Region

    Select the region where you want to create the file system.

    Note
    • File systems and ECS instances in different regions cannot communicate directly. Create the file system in the same region as your ECS instances. Cross-region mounting through Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) is possible but may result in high network latency. Mount a NAS file system across VPCs in the same region by using CEN.

    • Each Alibaba Cloud account can create a maximum of 20 General-purpose NAS file systems per region.

    Zone

    A zone is a physical area within a region with independent power and networking. File systems and ECS instances in different zones of the same region can communicate.

    To minimize latency, select the same zone as your ECS instance.

    Storage class

    Valid values:

    • Performance: Optimized for latency-sensitive workloads such as Linux/Windows enterprise applications, container PVs, web content management, and genetic computing.

    • Capacity: Optimized for cost-sensitive, latency-tolerant workloads such as database backups, log storage, Windows user directories, and Linux home directories.

    • Premium: Optimized for latency-sensitive workloads such as container persistence, AI training, industrial simulation, and genetic computing.

    Compare storage classes in General-purpose NAS.

    Protocol type

    The protocol type of the file system. Valid values are NFS and Organization.

    NFS is suitable for Linux ECS instances. SMB is suitable for Windows ECS instances.

    Recycle bin

    Enable or disable the recycle bin.

    • Enable (default): The recycle bin is enabled when the file system is created.

      Deleted files and directories are temporarily stored and can be restored with metadata (UIDs, GIDs, ACLs). Recycle bin.

    • Disable: The recycle bin feature is not enabled.

    Retention Period

    If you enable the recycle bin, select how long deleted files or directories are retained.

    Encryption Type

    Valid values:

    Important

    You cannot use server-side encryption and lifecycle management at the same time.

    • Not Encrypted: Disables server-side encryption.

    • NAS-managed Key: Encrypts each file system with a key fully managed by NAS.

    • KMS-managed Key: Encrypts and decrypts the file system with a CMK that you manage in KMS.

    If you select NAS-managed Key or KMS-managed Key, KMS encrypts data at rest and decrypts it automatically on access. Server-side encryption.

    Service-linked role

    If you set Encryption Type to KMS-managed Key, authorize the service-linked role. Service-linked role for File Storage NAS.

    Key ID

    If you set Encryption Type to KMS-managed Key, select a key ID from the drop-down list.

    Key Alias

    If you set Encryption Type to KMS-managed Key, verify the key alias.

    Data Backup

    Valid values:

    • Disable: The backup service is not enabled.

    • Enable: Uses a fully managed backup service. You can restore data from any backup point.

    Back up a General-purpose NAS file system.

    Service-linked role

    If you enable data backup, authorize the service-linked role. Service-linked role for File Storage NAS.

    Resource group

    Select the resource group for the file system. Resource groups help categorize and manage resources for simplified permission management and monitoring. Best practices for designing resource groups.

    • If you skip this, the file system is added to the default resource group.

    • To create a resource group, click Create resource group. In the Create resource group dialog box, configure Resource group identifier and Resource group name, and then click OK.

    Tag

    Add tags to the file system. You can add a maximum of 20 key-value pairs to a single file system.

    To add a tag, click Add tag, select an existing tag key, and then select or enter a tag value.

    Mount target type

    Select VPC.

    VPC

    Select the same VPC as your ECS instance. If needed, create one in the VPC console.

    Note

    If you select a different VPC from your ECS instance, connect the networks through CEN before mounting. Mount a NAS file system across VPCs in the same region by using CEN.

    vSwitch

    Select a vSwitch in the VPC.

    Terms of Service

    By clicking Buy Now, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the File Storage NAS Product Terms of Service, Service Level Agreement, and any product-specific terms that you select on this page (if any).

  4. Click Buy Now to create the file system.

    After the file system is created, you are billed hourly based on peak storage usage. For pricing, see Pricing of File Storage NAS. You can purchase a General-purpose NAS resource plan to offset storage fees at a greater discount than pay-as-you-go. A single resource plan is not bound to a specific file system and can offset fees for multiple file systems. Purchase a resource plan.

    Note

    After a file system is created, a default permission group is attached to it. To modify it, see Manage permission groups.

Create an Extreme NAS file system

  1. Log on to the NAS console.

  2. At the bottom of the Overview page, click Create Extreme NAS File System.

  3. On the Extreme NAS (Pay-As-You-Go) page, configure the following parameters.

    Parameter

    Description

    Region

    Select the region where you want to create the file system.

    Note
    • File systems and ECS instances in different regions cannot communicate directly. Create the file system in the same region as your ECS instances. Cross-region mounting through Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) is possible but may result in high network latency. Mount a NAS file system across VPCs in the same region by using CEN.

    • Each Alibaba Cloud account can create a maximum of 200 Extreme NAS file systems per region.

    • Currently, only Extreme NAS file systems in regions in the Chinese mainland support IPv6. To enable IPv6 in other regions, submit a ticket.

    Zone

    A zone is a physical area within a region with independent power and networking. File systems and ECS instances in different zones of the same region can communicate.

    To minimize latency, select the same zone as your ECS instance.

    Storage class

    Valid values:

    • Standard: suitable for shared file storage that requires high-speed read/write operations on a large number of small files, intensive metadata operations, low latency, and moderate overall throughput.

    • Advanced: Optimized for high-speed small-file I/O with low latency and moderate throughput. Uses RDMA networking on the backend for lower read/write latency and better write performance than Standard.

    Note

    Each zone supports only one storage class, either Standard or Advanced. Deploy workloads in a zone that supports Advanced.

    Protocol type

    Extreme NAS supports only the NFS protocol.

    Provisioned Capacity

    Select the storage capacity (100 GiB to 262,143 GiB).

    Encryption Type

    Valid values:

    • Not Encrypted: Disables server-side encryption.

    • NAS-managed Key: Encrypts each file system with a key fully managed by NAS.

    • KMS-managed Key: Encrypts and decrypts the file system with a CMK that you manage in KMS.

    If you select NAS-managed Key or KMS-managed Key, KMS encrypts data at rest and decrypts it automatically on access. Server-side encryption.

    Key ID

    If you set Encryption Type to KMS-managed Key, select a key ID from the drop-down list.

    Resource group

    Select the resource group for the file system. Resource groups help categorize and manage resources for simplified permission management and monitoring. Best practices for designing resource groups.

    • If you skip this, the file system is added to the default resource group.

    • To create a resource group, click Create resource group. In the Create resource group dialog box, configure Resource group identifier and Resource group name, and then click OK.

    Tag

    Add tags to the file system. You can add a maximum of 20 key-value pairs to a single file system.

    To add a tag, click Add tag, select an existing tag key, and then select or enter a tag value.

    Terms of Service

    By clicking Buy Now, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the File Storage NAS Product Terms of Service, Service Level Agreement, and any product-specific terms that you select on this page (if any).

  4. Click Buy Now to create the file system.

    After the file system is created, you are charged hourly based on the maximum provisioned capacity. For pricing, see Pricing of File Storage NAS. You can purchase an Extreme NAS resource plan to offset provisioned capacity fees at a greater discount than pay-as-you-go. A single resource plan is not bound to a specific file system and can offset fees for multiple file systems. Purchase a resource plan.

    Note

    The unit price displayed on the creation page is the hourly fee that you will be charged. If you have an Extreme NAS resource plan, the fee is offset based on the deduction rules of the resource plan.

Create an Advanced Extreme NAS from a snapshot

Note

Only Advanced Extreme NAS file systems support the snapshot feature.

You can also call the CreateFileSystem API operation to create an Advanced Extreme NAS file system from a snapshot.

  1. Install the Python SDK.

    pip install alibabacloud_nas20170626==3.1.3
    pip install alibabacloud_tea_openapi
    pip install alibabacloud_tea_util
  2. Run the code to create a file system.

    Note

    Before you call the API operation, configure environment variables for your access credentials. For more information, see Configure environment variables on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

    # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
    import os
    import sys
    
    from typing import List
    
    from alibabacloud_nas20170626.client import Client as NAS20170626Client
    from alibabacloud_credentials.client import Client as CredentialClient
    from alibabacloud_tea_openapi import models as open_api_models
    from alibabacloud_nas20170626 import models as nas20170626_models
    from alibabacloud_tea_util import models as util_models
    from alibabacloud_tea_util.client import Client as UtilClient
    
    
    class Sample:
        def __init__(self):
            pass
    
        @staticmethod
        def create_client() -> NAS20170626Client:
            """
            Use credentials to initialize the client.
            @return: Client
            @throws Exception
            """
            # Use the default credential provider chain. For more information, see https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/en/alibaba-cloud-sdk-262060/latest/configure-credentials-378659.
            credential = CredentialClient()
            config = open_api_models.Config(
                credential=credential
            )
            # For more information about endpoints, see https://api.alibabacloud.com/product/NAS.
            config.endpoint = f'nas.cn-hangzhou.aliyuncs.com'
            return NAS20170626Client(config)
    
        @staticmethod
        def main(
            args: List[str],
        ) -> None:
            client = Sample.create_client()
            create_file_system_request = nas20170626_models.CreateFileSystemRequest(
                file_system_type='extreme',
                charge_type='PayAsYouGo',
                capacity=100,
                storage_type='advance',
                zone_id='cn-hangzhou-k',
                protocol_type='NFS',
                snapshot_id='s-extreme-00******m'
            )
            runtime = util_models.RuntimeOptions()
            try:
                # Print the API response after you run the code.
                client.create_file_system_with_options(create_file_system_request, runtime)
            except Exception as error:
                # This is a sample of error handling. In a production environment, you must handle exceptions with care and not ignore them.
                # Error message
                print(error.message)
                # Troubleshooting URL
                print(error.data.get("Recommend"))
                UtilClient.assert_as_string(error.message)
    
        @staticmethod
        async def main_async(
            args: List[str],
        ) -> None:
            client = Sample.create_client()
            create_file_system_request = nas20170626_models.CreateFileSystemRequest(
                file_system_type='extreme',
                charge_type='PayAsYouGo',
                capacity=100,
                storage_type='advance',
                zone_id='cn-hangzhou-k',
                protocol_type='NFS',
                snapshot_id='s-extreme-00******m'
            )
            runtime = util_models.RuntimeOptions()
            try:
                # Print the API response after you run the code.
                await client.create_file_system_with_options_async(create_file_system_request, runtime)
            except Exception as error:
                # This is a sample of error handling. In a production environment, you must handle exceptions with care and not ignore them.
                # Error message
                print(error.message)
                # Troubleshooting URL
                print(error.data.get("Recommend"))
                UtilClient.assert_as_string(error.message)
    
    
    if __name__ == '__main__':
        Sample.main(sys.argv[1:])

    The following table describes the key parameters. For more information, see CreateFileSystem.

    Parameter

    Description

    StorageType

    The storage type of the file system. Set the value to advance for the Advanced edition.

    For example, if you create a snapshot named B_Snapshot for an advanced file system and then use B_Snapshot to create a new file system, you must set StorageType to advance.

    ProtocolType

    The file access protocol. Extreme NAS file systems support only NFSv3.

    Capacity

    The storage capacity of the Extreme NAS file system. This value must be the same as the capacity of the original file system from which the snapshot was created.

    For example, if you create a snapshot named A_Snapshot for a 100 GiB advanced Extreme NAS file system and then use A_Snapshot to create a new file system, you must set Capacity to 100.

    ZoneId

    The ID of the zone where the new file system will be created. Example: cn-hangzhou-g. You can call the DescribeZones operation to query available zones.

    SnapshotId

    The ID of the snapshot.

Next steps

After you create a file system, mount it on a compute node. Select a mounting method in Mounting scenarios.