Cross-region backup replicates data from a backup vault to a replication target vault in a different region under the same account. Use this feature to restore data in a secondary region if the primary region becomes unavailable due to a data center outage or natural disaster.
Replication runs automatically in the background with no manual intervention. Cloud Backup balances cross-region network latency and transfer efficiency to maintain data consistency, achieving an acceptable recovery point objective (RPO) for most business scenarios.
The term mirror vault has been updated to replication target vault. No manual updates are needed. Unlike the old mirror vault, a replication target vault is not deleted when replication is stopped. After stopping replication, the vault becomes a standalone vault. Backup points in it can be managed independently, and the backup lock feature (immutable backup) can be enabled.
Supported data sources
ECS File
OSS
On-premises NAS
Alibaba Cloud NAS
Tablestore
CPFS
On-premises File
SAP HANA
For ECS instance data sources, enable remote replication only through a backup policy, not from the Vault Management page.
Limits and restrictions
Unsupported vault types
Cross-region backup does not support the following vault types:
OSS Backup (30-day free trial)
NAS Backup (30-day free trial)
Tablestore Backup (30-day free trial)
Replication target vaults
Archive vaults
Database Backup vaults
Container Backup vaults
Vaults in an abnormal state, such as ERROR
Replication limits
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Replication target vaults per account per region | 5 |
| Replication targets per backup vault | 1 |
| VMware VM restore from replication target vault | Not supported |
Replication target vault behavior
A replication target vault is read-only. It cannot be used as a direct target for new backup plans.
The retention period of backup points in a replication target vault cannot be modified. The lifecycle mirrors the source vault.
The replication target vault must use the same encryption method as the source backup vault, either Cloud Backup-managed or KMS.
After replication is stopped, backup points in the standalone replication target vault are deleted according to their original retention period inherited from the source. The Retain at least one version setting from the source backup vault's policy does not apply to the replication target vault. Backup points can also be deleted manually.
Archiving behavior
If automatic archiving is enabled on the source backup vault, archive tier data is not synced to the replication target vault.
After standard tier data in the source vault moves to the archive tier, the corresponding data in the replication target vault is also deleted.
Deletion behavior
To delete a source backup vault, first stop cross-region backup. Deleting the source backup vault does not delete the replication target vault.
Regional availability
For supported regions, see Features by region.
Prerequisites
The source backup vault must have a Storage Vault Type of General Backup.
The destination vault must have a Storage Vault Type of Replication Target vault.
Go to Vault Management to view the types of existing vaults. Create a backup vault on the Vault Management page, when creating a backup policy, or when configuring a backup vault for a backup source.
Configure cross-region backup
Cross-region backup can be enabled from the Vault Management page or in the Policy Center. After enabling, all existing and new backup data in the standard tier of the source backup vault are automatically synced to the replication target vault.
To enable Backup Vault Replication when creating or editing a policy, see Policy Center.
Enable replication from the Vault Management page
Go to the Cloud Backup console - Vault Management. On the Storage Vaults page, select the region of the source backup vault.
In the Actions column of the target backup vault, click Configure backup vault replication.
In the Initiate Backup Vault Replication panel, configure the replication target vault:
To use an existing vault, click Select Replication Target Vault, then select the destination region and the replication target vault.
To create a new vault, click Create Replication Target Vault and configure the following parameters.
Replication target vault parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Destination Region | Select the region for the replication target vault. It must differ from the source backup vault region. |
| Vault Name | Enter a name for the replication target vault. |
| Vault Description | Enter a description for the replication target vault. |
| Vault Resource Group | Select the resource group for the replication target vault. |
| Vault Encryption Method | Select an encryption method. The default is Cloud Backup-managed. If the source vault uses a custom key from Alibaba Cloud Key Management Service (KMS), select KMS and choose a KMS KeyId. For more information, see Select a KMS key. |
The encryption method of the replication target vault must match the source backup vault.
After enabling encryption with KMS, the KMS key cannot be changed.
To encrypt a backup vault with a KMS key, first create a key ID in KMS. For more information, see Create a key.
Click OK.
After configuration, Cloud Backup starts syncing historical data from the source backup vault. View the synchronization progress in the destination region. When synchronization finishes, all data in the source backup vault has been replicated to the replication target vault.
Restore data from a replication target vault
Each data source follows the same pattern: prepare the target resource in the same region as the replication target vault, then create a restore job with the source vault set to the replication target vault. Configure remaining parameters as for a standard restore job.
| Data source | Step 1: Prepare target resource | Step 2: Create restore job |
|---|---|---|
| ECS File | Create an ECS instance in the same region | Restore ECS files |
| OSS | Create an OSS bucket in the same region | Create an OSS restore job |
| Alibaba Cloud NAS | Create a NAS file system in the same region | Create a NAS restore job |
| Tablestore | Create a Tablestore instance in the same region | Restore a Tablestore table |
| CPFS | Prepare a CPFS file system in the same region | Restore CPFS |
| SAP HANA | Prepare an SAP HANA instance in the same region, then register it | Restore SAP HANA |
| On-premises NAS | Prepare an on-premises NAS and install a backup client | Restore on-premises NAS |
| On-premises File | Prepare a local server, create a restore folder, and install a backup client | Restore local files |
For all restore jobs, set the source backup vault to the replication target vault and set the restore destination to the resource prepared in step 1.
Stop cross-region backup
Once stopped, the cross-region replication relationship cannot be resumed. The detached replication target vault can only be used for data restoration.
Go to the region of the source backup vault in the Cloud Backup console.
In the Actions column of the source backup vault, click Stop backup vault replication.
Confirm the operation.
After stopping, new data in the source backup vault is no longer replicated to the replication target vault. Existing replicated data remains available for restoration.
Post-stop options
Deleting a vault permanently removes all backup data within it, making restoration impossible.
After stopping cross-region backup, perform the following operations as needed:
Delete the replication target vault: Select the replication target vault and delete it.
Enable immutable backup: Prevent backup data from being accidentally deleted or attacked by ransomware before the retention period expires.
Delete the source backup vault: Go to the region of the source backup vault. In the Actions column of the source vault, hover over the menu icon and select Delete. Confirm the operation.
Billing
| Fee type | Billing method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity fees | Subscription resource plans or pay-as-you-go | Purchase resource plans to offset storage fees. |
| Cross-region replication traffic fees | Pay-as-you-go only | No subscription plans available for traffic fees. |
Restore costs
No fee applies when restoring data from a replication target vault to a resource in the same region.
Restoring to an on-premises NAS or local server over the Internet (without a VPN or leased line) incurs outbound traffic fees based on the actual data volume. For more information, see On-premises NAS restore fees and Local server file restore fees.
For full pricing details, see Cloud Backup pricing.
FAQ
How do I view the replication target vault?
Switch to the region where the replication target vault is located. On the Storage Vaults page in the Cloud Backup console, locate the replication target vault.
What determines the billable storage usage of a replication target vault?
The Storage Vault Data Size of the replication target vault determines its billable storage usage.
Can I set the synchronization frequency for cross-region backup?
No. Data is replicated continuously from the source to the replication target vault. The synchronization frequency cannot be configured.
Does a replication target vault support zone-redundant storage?
Yes. Cloud Backup automatically selects a vault type based on regional support. In regions that support zone-redundant storage (ZRS), a ZRS-enabled backup vault is created by default. In other regions, a locally redundant storage (LRS)-enabled backup vault is created.
ZRS-supported regions: China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Ulanqab), China (Shenzhen), Hong Kong (China), Japan (Tokyo), Singapore, Indonesia (Jakarta), Germany (Frankfurt), and Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur).