When using a subscription instance, if you find that the instance type exceeds or cannot meet your application requirements, you can change the ECS instance type (including vCPU and memory). Changing the instance type includes upgrading and downgrading. Upgrading means the price of the original instance type is greater than the price of the target instance type. Downgrading means the price of the original instance type is less than the price of the target instance type.
Prerequisites
The instance for which you want to change the instance type must meet the following conditions:
Instance type changes are supported by the instance family to which the instance belongs. For more information, see Instructions for changing instance types.
The instance must be in the Running (
Running) or Stopped (Stopped) state.The target instance type must have sufficient inventory in the current zone. You can go to ECS Instance Available Regions to check the inventory status.
NoteIf you want to change the instance type across zones, see Change the instance type across zones.
If you want to migrate your ECS instance to another region, we recommend the following solutions:
Utilize the server migration feature to migrate your ECS instance from one region to another. For more information, see Migrate data between ECS instances that belong to the same Alibaba Cloud account or different Alibaba Cloud accounts.
Create a custom image of your current instance, copy the custom image to the destination region, and use this custom image to create an instance there. For more information, see Create a custom image from an instance, Copy a custom image, and Create an instance by using a custom image.
Limits
The following limits apply when you change the instance type:
You must specify the target instance type (including vCPU and memory). You cannot change only one of these configurations.
You can change the instance type only within the current billing cycle. Temporary changes to the instance type are not supported.
For the same instance, you cannot perform an instance type change operation when there is an unfinished configuration change operation (including changing the instance type, changing the bandwidth, or temporarily upgrading the bandwidth).
When you upgrade a subscription instance, if you have performed a renewal and configuration downgrade operation in the current billing cycle, you can upgrade the configuration only after you enter a new billing cycle. You cannot upgrade the configuration during the remaining time of the current billing cycle.
When you downgrade a subscription instance, the instance must not have an unfinished renewal and configuration downgrade process. If the instance has an ongoing renewal and configuration downgrade task, wait until the task is completed before you downgrade the instance type.
There is a monthly quota limit for downgrading the instance type. The quota is determined based on your historical consumption. The specific quota is displayed on the page. After the monthly quota is exceeded, you cannot downgrade the instance type. The quota will be automatically updated on the first day of the next month.
Billing
When you upgrade the instance type, you need to pay the upgrade fee.
Upgrade fee = (Official list price of the new instance type for the remaining duration - Official list price of the old instance type for the remaining duration) × Discount for the remaining duration
Downgrading the instance type may result in a refund. The refund amount is the difference between the price of the new configuration and the effective remaining price before the downgrade. For more information, see Refunds for resource downgrades.
If the instance has participated in a low-price long-term activity, changing the configuration may prevent you from enjoying the preferential price when you renew the instance.
Procedure
Go to ECS console - Instance.
In the top navigation bar, select the region and resource group of the resource that you want to manage.
Click the ID or name of the target instance to go to the instance details page. In All Operations, select Change Instance Type.
NoteAlibaba Cloud also provides the Perform batch operations on the instance list page feature. You can select multiple instances in the instance list, and then select at the bottom. Follow the page prompts to complete the batch instance type change operation.
Select a target instance type.
NoteThe instance types that you can change to are displayed on the page.
Change the instance type.
Upgrade the instance type
Perform different operations based on the current instance state.
If the instance is in the Stopped state:
Confirm the estimated cost, select I Have Read And Agree To The Elastic Compute Service Terms Of Service, and click Confirm Change And Pay.
Follow the interface prompts to complete the payment.
Start the instance to make the change take effect.
After the payment is completed, the console displays the new instance type, but the change has not actually taken effect. You need to start the instance to make the change take effect.
If the instance is in the Running state:
Set the restart time.
If you select scheduled restart and set a restart time, you can view or modify the scheduled time in in the ECS console.
WarningThe restart operation stops the instance for a short period of time and may interrupt services that are running on the instance. We recommend that you restart the instance during off-peak hours.
After confirming the change information, select I Have Read And Agree To The Elastic Compute Service Terms Of Service, and click Confirm Change And Pay or Confirm Change And Restart Instance.
Restart the instance.
After you click Confirm Change And Pay and complete the payment, the console displays the new instance type, but the change has not actually taken effect. You need to restart the instance to make the change take effect.
Downgrade the instance type
Perform different operations based on the current instance state.
If the instance is in the Stopped state: Confirm the change information, select I Have Read And Agree To The Elastic Compute Service Terms Of Service, and click Confirm Change.
If the instance is in the Running state:
Confirm the change information, select I Have Read And Agree To The Elastic Compute Service Terms Of Service, and click Stop Instance And Continue.
In the Stop Instance dialog box, select a Stop Method and click OK.
Start the instance to make the instance type change take effect.
For specific operations, see Start an instance.
References
Query the available resources in a zone when you upgrade or downgrade the instance type or system disk: DescribeResourcesModification
Adjust the instance type and public bandwidth of a pay-as-you-go ECS instance: ModifyInstanceSpec
Query the price information of the target instance type when upgrading a subscription ECS instance that has not expired, and the price information of newly added subscription data disks: DescribeInstanceModificationPrice