Subscription PolarDB-X instances expire at the end of their billing cycle. If you don't renew before the instance is released, all CPU, memory, and disk resources are permanently deleted and data cannot be recovered. Pay-as-you-go instances do not expire and require no renewal.
Alibaba Cloud sends expiration notifications before your instance expires. To avoid service disruptions, renew your instance before it expires.
Renewal methods
PolarDB-X supports two renewal methods: auto-renewal and manual renewal. The renewal cost is the same as purchasing a new subscription.
Auto-renewal
When auto-renewal is enabled, the system charges fees from your Alibaba Cloud account automatically on the following schedule:
| Timing | Action |
|---|---|
| 9 days before expiration, at 08:00 | First charge attempt |
| Each of the 2 days following a failed attempt | Retry charge attempt |
| After 3 failed attempts | No further attempts; manual renewal required |
Make sure your Alibaba Cloud account has enough balance before the first charge attempt. If all three attempts fail, manually renew the instance before it expires to prevent downtime and data loss.
Manual renewal
After a subscription instance expires, the system retains the instance for a few days before releasing it. You can manually renew during this retention period. Fees are charged from your Alibaba Cloud account immediately when you confirm the renewal.
Instance expiration states
After a subscription instance expires, it transitions through the following states:
| State | Description | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Locked | The instance stops and becomes inaccessible immediately upon expiration. | Manually renew the instance. It restores to normal immediately after renewal. |
| Released | After the instance is locked for 15 days, it is released and all backups except remote data backups are deleted. | Nothing — released data cannot be restored. |
Released data cannot be restored. Renew your instance before it reaches the Released state.