When an instance expires or a payment becomes overdue, you must renew the instance or top up your Alibaba Cloud account if you want to continue to use the instance. Otherwise, the instance will be suspended and then released.

Billable item Billing method Expiration/Overdue payment Renewal/Top up
Express Connect circuits Subscription
  • An Express Connect circuit is suspended 15 days after it expires. The Express Connect circuit stops providing services after it is suspended. However, the configurations of the Express Connect circuit are retained.

    Email notifications are scheduled to be sent to you seven days, three days, and one day before an Express Connect circuit expires.

  • Alibaba Cloud releases an Express Connect circuit seven days after the Express Connect circuit is suspended. After the Express Connect circuit is released, its configurations and data are deleted and cannot be recovered.
An Express Connect circuit is resumed if you renew the Express Connect circuit within 15 days after the Express Connect circuit expires.
Outbound data transfer Pay-as-you-go If a pay-as-you-go instance that belongs to your Alibaba Cloud account incurs an overdue payment (the bill is generated but the payment is not completed), the system automatically sends email notifications to you.

The instance is automatically released if you do not settle the outstanding payment within seven days after the instance becomes overdue. The configurations and related data are deleted and cannot be recovered after the instance is released.

The system automatically sends an email notification to you one day before the system releases the instance.

You can top up your account if you want to continue to use pay-as-you-go instances that are overdue.

The system automatically settles the outstanding payment and then resumes the instance if you top up your account within seven days after the overdue instance is suspended.

Virtual border routers (VBRs) Subscription
  • A VBR is suspended for seven days after it expires. The VBR stops providing services after it is suspended. However, the configurations of the VBR are retained.

    The system automatically sends email notifications to you seven days, three days, and one day before a VBR expires.

  • Alibaba Cloud automatically releases a VBR seven days after the VBR expires. After the VBR is released, its configurations and data are deleted and cannot be recovered.

    The system automatically sends an email notification to you one day before the system releases a VBR.

You can renew a VBR within the subscription duration or before the VBR is released.
  • If you do not renew your subscription VBRs after they expire, the system automatically suspends and then releases the expired VBRs. An expired VBR is suspended and then released regardless of the amount of the relevant order.
  • To avoid unexpected instance suspensions and releases, we recommend that you enable auto-renewal to serve long-term workloads. In addition, make sure that the balance in your Alibaba Cloud account is sufficient. For more information, see Renewal management.