If a subscription RDS instance is automatically released due to expiration or a pay-as-you-go or serverless RDS instance is manually released or is automatically released due to overdue payments, the RDS instance is moved to the recycle bin. You can unlock, rebuild, or destroy the RDS instance in the recycle bin.
The system backs up an RDS instance when the RDS instance is being deleted. If the RDS instance is being backed up and the deletion process is not complete, the recycle bin feature of the RDS instance is unavailable.
Sample scenarios
Your subscription RDS instance is locked due to expiration and moved to the recycle bin. To unlock the RDS instance, you can renew the RDS instance within seven days. If you do not renew the RDS instance within seven days, you can only rebuild the RDS instance from the recycle bin and restore the data of the RDS instance to a new RDS instance. For more information, see Rebuild an RDS instance.
Feature description
If you manually release a pay-as-you-go RDS instance or unsubscribe from a subscription RDS instance, or a subscription RDS instance is automatically released after expiration, the RDS instance is moved to the recycle bin. An RDS instance is not moved to the recycle bin in the following scenarios:
You manually release or unsubscribe from the RDS instance within seven days after the instance is created.
The RDS instance is a pay-as-you-go RDS instance and is automatically released due to overdue payments.
The RDS instance belongs to a dedicated cluster or is a read-only RDS instance.
If the RDS instance uses a phased-out instance type and is moved to the recycle bin, you can rebuild the RDS instance from the recycle bin to an instance that uses an available instance type. You can also retain the last backup file of your RDS instance before the instance is released. Then, you can use the backup file to rebuild the RDS instance from the recycle bin to an instance that uses an available instance type.
Unlock an RDS instance
Unlock a pay-as-you-go RDS instance whose payment is overdue
If your pay-as-you-go RDS instance is locked due to overdue payments, log on to the Billing Management console and verify that a valid payment method is specified for your Alibaba Cloud account.
Renew and unlock a subscription RDS instance
If your subscription RDS instance is locked due to expiration, you can renew the RDS instance in the recycle bin within seven days. If you do not renew the RDS instance within seven days, the RDS instance is released.
Go to the Instances page.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Recycle Bin. In the top navigation bar of the page that appears, select the region of the RDS instance that you want to renew.
Find the RDS instance and click Unlock in the Operation column to renew the RDS instance.
After the RDS instance is renewed, the RDS instance is immediately restored to normal.
Rebuild an RDS instance
Subscription RDS instances
Time period
Status
Operation
Day 1 to 00:00:00 on Day 8 after expiration
(Seven days in total.)
Locked. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
Renew and unlock the RDS instance.
Around 00:00:00 on Day 8 after expiration
(A time discrepancy of several seconds may occur.)
Being released. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
N/A.
Day 8 to 00:00:00 on Day 16 after expiration
(About eight days. A time discrepancy of several seconds may occur.)
Released. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
Rebuild the RDS instance from the recycle bin and restore the data of the RDS instance to a new RDS instance. You cannot unlock the original RDS instance.
After 00:00:00 on Day 16 after expiration
Destroyed.
You cannot unlock or rebuild the RDS instance.
For example, your subscription RDS instance expired at 00:00:00 on January 4, 2024, and the RDS instance was released at 00:00:26 on January 11, 2024. In this case, you can renew and unlock the RDS instance between 00:00:00 on January 4, 2024 and 00:00:26 on January 11, 2024, and rebuild and restore the RDS instance between 00:00:26 on January 11, 2024 and 00:00:00 on January 19, 2024. After 00:00:00 on January 19, 2024, the RDS instance was destroyed.
Pay-as-you-go or serverless RDS instances that are created for more than seven days
Manual release
Time period
Status
Operation
Day 1 to 00:00:00 on Day 9 after manual release
(Seven to eight days.)
Released. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
Rebuild the RDS instance from the recycle bin and restore the data of the RDS instance to a new RDS instance.
After 00:00:00 on Day 9 after manual release
Destroyed.
You cannot rebuild the RDS instance because it is destroyed.
For example, you manually released a pay-as-you-go RDS instance at 21:38:33 on January 12, 2024. In this case, you can rebuild the RDS instance between 21:38:33 on January 12, 2024 and 00:00:00 on January 20, 2024. After 00:00:00 on January 20, 2024, the RDS instance was destroyed.
Locked due to overdue payments
Time period
Status
Operation
Within seven days after the RDS instance is locked due to overdue payments
Locked due to overdue payments. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
Renew and unlock the RDS instance.
Day 8 after the RDS instance is locked due to overdue payments and released (Seven days after the RDS instance is stopped)
(A time discrepancy of several minutes may occur.)
Being released. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
N/A.
From Day 8 to 00:00:00 on Day 16 after the RDS instance is locked due to overdue payments and released
(Seven to eight days.)
Released. The RDS instance is in the recycle bin.
Rebuild the RDS instance from the recycle bin and restore the data of the RDS instance to a new RDS instance. You cannot renew and unlock the original RDS instance.
After 00:00:00 on Day 16 after the RDS instance is locked due to overdue payments and released
Destroyed.
You cannot rebuild the RDS instance or settle the overdue payments and unlock the RDS instance.
For example, a pay-as-you-go RDS instance was stopped at 21:25:13 on January 5, 2024 due to overdue payments, and was released at 21:38:33 on January 12, 2024. In this case, you can settle the overdue payments and unlock the RDS instance between 21:25:13 on January 5, 2024 and 21:38:33 on January 12, 2024, and rebuild and restore the RDS instance between 21:38:33 on January 12, 2024 and 00:00:00 on January 20, 2024. After 00:00:00 on January 20, 2024, the RDS instance was destroyed.
After the retention period elapses, only the backup files that meet the following conditions are retained:
The RDS instance runs MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server, and the cross-region backup retention period has not ended. The backup files are retained until the cross-region backup retention period ends. For more information, see Use the cross-region backup feature, Use the cross-region backup feature, and Use the cross-region backup feature.
The RDS instance runs MySQL, and you have determined to retain the backup files of the RDS instance even after the RDS instance is released. In this case, the backup files of the RDS instance are retained. For more information, see Enable the automatic backup feature for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
After an RDS instance is rebuilt, the data of the original RDS instance is restored to a new RDS instance. However, the new RDS instance does not inherit the ID or endpoint of the original RDS instance. You can change the endpoint of the new RDS instance to the endpoint of the original RDS instance. This way, your applications can connect to the new RDS instance by using the original endpoint. For more information, see View and manage instance endpoints and ports.
Prerequisites
If the RDS instance uses cloud disks, the network type of the instance is VPC.
Usage notes
If the Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) feature is enabled for an RDS instance, the backup files of the RDS instance cannot be used to rebuild the RDS instance. For more information, see Configure TDE for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
Procedure
Go to the Instances page and select the region of the required RDS instance.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Recycle Bin.
Find the required RDS instance and click Rebuild in the Operation column.
Read and select Terms of Service, and click Pay Now.
Click Subscribe. This step is required only for subscription RDS instances.
By default, the rebuilt RDS instance uses the same specifications as the original RDS instance and resides in the same zone as the original RDS instance.
Destroy an RDS instance
If an RDS instance is locked due to overdue payments or expiration, you can destroy the RDS instance in the recycle bin.
After you destroy an RDS instance, only the cross-region backup files of the instance are retained. All regular data backup files, archived backup files, and log backup files of the instance are destroyed. Proceed with caution when you destroy an RDS instance. For more information about cross-region backup files, see Enable cross-region backups for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
Go to the Instances page.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Recycle Bin. In the top navigation bar of the page that appears, select the region of the required RDS instance.
Find the required RDS instance and click Destroy in the Operation column. In the message that appears, click OK.