Backup retention policy for released RDS for MySQL instances - ApsaraDB RDS

Limits

This feature is not supported for RDS for MySQL instances that use Premium Local SSDs and run on RDS Enterprise Edition.

Default policies

Instance type	Purchase date	Default policy
Cloud disk instances	On or after February 1, 2024	Latest
Instances with Premium Local SSDs	Any	Do Not Retain

For instances with a default policy of Do Not Retain, configure a retention policy manually before releasing the instance.

Use cases

Accidental deletion recovery: If an important instance is accidentally released, retained backups let you recover data immediately.
Security incidents: If an instance is released due to a malicious attack, you can still restore data from retained backups.
Migration rollback: When migrating data between instances, retain backups of the source instance. If the migration fails, use the backups to roll back.

Retention policy options

Option	What is retained after release
Latest	Only the last completed backup
All	All completed backups
Do Not Retain	Nothing — data cannot be recovered

Billing

Retained backup files are stored free of charge for the first 7 days after an instance is released. After 7 days, storage is billed at the pay-as-you-go rate.

You cannot use storage plans to offset backup storage fees for released instances.

Example cost calculation: If you retain 200 GB of backups for a cloud disk instance in Singapore for 30 days, the total cost is: 200 GB × 0.001125 USD/GB-day × (30 − 7) days = $5.18 USD.

Unit price for instances with Premium Local SSDs (USD per GB-day):

Type	Region	Unit price (USD per GB-day)
Public cloud	China (Hangzhou), China (Beijing), China (Shanghai), China (Shenzhen), China (Qingdao), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Hohhot), China (Chengdu), China (Heyuan), China (Ulanqab), and China (Guangzhou)	0.00058
Public cloud	China (Hong Kong), Singapore, US (Silicon Valley), Germany (Frankfurt), Indonesia (Jakarta), Philippines (Manila), and Thailand (Bangkok)	0.00067
Public cloud	Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul)	0.0007
Public cloud	US (Virginia)	0.00062
Public cloud	Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)	0.00064
Public cloud	UK (London)	0.00065
Public cloud	UAE (Dubai)	0.00072

Unit price for cloud disk instances (USD per GB-day):

Region	Unit price (USD per GB-day)
China (Beijing), China (Hohhot), China (Ulanqab), China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Shenzhen), China (Heyuan), China (Chengdu), China (Qingdao), China (Guangzhou), and China (Zhangjiakou)	0.0009375
China (Hong Kong), US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), Singapore, Japan (Tokyo), Germany (Frankfurt), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), Philippines (Manila), UK (London), South Korea (Seoul), and Thailand (Bangkok)	0.001125

Configure a backup retention policy

There are three ways to configure the policy, depending on when you set it.

Method 1: Set the policy when purchasing an instance

This method applies only to new subscription RDS for MySQL instances with Premium Local SSDs. On the purchase page, set the Backup Retention After Release parameter.

Method 2: Set the policy on the instance details page (before release)

Use this method while the instance is still running.

Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the instance resides. Find the instance and click its ID.
In the left navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
On the Backup Strategy tab, go to the Basic Backup section and click Edit.
Set Retain Backup Files After Instance Release and click OK.
- Latest or All: After release, completed backups are retained based on your selection.
- Do Not Retain: No backups are retained after release. Data cannot be recovered. Use this option with caution.

Important

The system retains backup files for the long term based on the configured policy. You cannot specify a fixed retention period.
Retained backups are stored free of charge for 7 days. After 7 days, storage fees apply. For pricing details, see Billing.

Method 3: Set the policy on the Backup Management page (after release)

Use this method after the instance has already been released.

Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the instance was located.
On the Backups for Deleted Instances tab, find the instance and click Settings in the Retention Policy column.
Set Data Backup Retention Policy and click OK.
- Latest or All: Completed backups are retained based on your selection.
- Do Not Retain: All retained backups are removed. Data cannot be recovered. Use this option with caution.

Important

The system retains backup files for the long term based on the configured policy. You cannot specify a fixed retention period.
Retained backups are stored free of charge for 7 days. After 7 days, storage fees apply. For pricing details, see Billing.

Use retained backups

After an instance is released, its retained backups appear on the Backups > Backups for Deleted Instances page in the RDS console.Backups for Deleted Instances

After release, backup files may take up to 30 minutes to appear on this page.

Restore a backup to a new instance

Go to the Backups page and click the Backups for Deleted Instances tab. Find the instance and click Restore in the Actions column to restore the backup to a new RDS for MySQL instance.

Track the creation progress of the new instance on the Task List page. For parameter details, see Create an RDS for MySQL instance.

After the instance is created, connect to it to verify the restored data. For connection instructions, see Connect to an RDS for MySQL instance.

Download and archive a backup

The download feature is available only for physical backups of RDS for MySQL instances with Premium Local SSDs. Snapshot backups of cloud disk instances cannot be downloaded.

Downloading over an internal network is free. Downloading over the internet incurs traffic charges. For details on download methods and internet traffic billing, see Download a backup.

Go to the Backups page and click the Backups for Deleted Instances tab. Find the instance and click Download in the Actions column. Copy the internal or public endpoint to download the backup.

Go to the Backup Management page and click the Backup for Deleted Instances tab.
At the top of the page, select the region of the instance.
In the search box, enter the Asset/Resource Instance ID that you recorded in Step 1. If the instance was deleted a long time ago, manually adjust the time range filter on the page to expand the search scope, and then perform the search.
After you find the target instance, click Settings in its Retention Policy column.
In the dialog box that appears, set the backup retention policy to one of the following options:
- Latest: Change the current policy from All to Latest to reduce backup storage costs.
- Do Not Retain: Change the current policy from All or Latest to Do Not Retain to avoid future backup storage costs.
Important
After you change the setting, the system automatically deletes backup files that are no longer retained based on the new policy. This operation cannot be undone and the data cannot be recovered. Exercise caution when you perform this operation.
Click OK.

Related operations

View the backup retention policy

Before release: instance details page

This method applies only while the instance is still running. If the instance has been released, use the Backup Management page method below.

Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the instance resides. Find the instance and click its ID.
In the left navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
On the Backup Strategy tab, the current backup retention policy is displayed in the Basic Backup section.
- Latest: After release, the last completed backup is retained.
- All: After release, all completed backups are retained.
- Do Not Retain: No backups are retained after release. Data cannot be recovered.

After release: Backup Management page

Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region where the instance was located.
On the Backups for Deleted Instances tab, find the instance and click Settings in the Retention Policy column.
The current backup retention policy is displayed in the dialog box.
- Latest: After release, the last completed backup is retained.
- All: After release, all completed backups are retained.
- Do Not Retain: No backups are retained after release. Data cannot be recovered.

Delete backup files of a released instance

If you no longer need to retain the backups of a released instance, adjust the retention policy to reduce or stop storage charges.

Go to the Backups page and click the Backups for Deleted Instances tab.
In the top navigation bar, select the region where the instance was located.
In the search box, enter the Asset/Resource Instance ID. If the instance was released a long time ago, expand the time range filter before searching.
Find the instance and click Settings in the Actions column.
In the dialog box, update the policy:
- Latest: Switches from All to Latest to reduce backup storage costs.
- Do Not Retain: Stops all future backup storage charges.
Important
After you confirm the change, the system automatically deletes backup files that are no longer retained. This action is irreversible. Data cannot be recovered. Use this option with caution.
Click OK.

FAQ

What is the backup retention policy for released instances?

The backup retention policy lets you preserve backup files after an RDS for MySQL instance is released, so you can recover data if the instance is accidentally deleted or needed for migration rollback. Go to Backups > Backups for Deleted Instances to restore a backup to a new instance or download it for archival.

Why am I being charged for backups after my instance was released?

If you configured a retention policy before releasing the instance, backup files remain on the Backups > Backups for Deleted Instances page. Backup storage is free for the first 7 days after release. After 7 days, storage fees apply based on the actual storage amount and region.

If you no longer need the backups, go to the Backups for Deleted Instances tab, find the instance, and set the retention policy to Do Not Retain to stop future storage charges.

I never set a retention policy. Why am I being charged after my instance was released?

For cloud disk instances purchased on or after February 1, 2024, the default retention policy is Latest. This means the system automatically retains the last backup after the instance is released. Charges apply after the free 7-day period expires.

To avoid future charges, go to the Backups for Deleted Instances tab and set the retention policy to Do Not Retain.

Why aren't my retained backups showing up on the Backups for Deleted Instances page?

After an instance is released, backup files may take up to 30 minutes to appear on the Backups for Deleted Instances page.

Can I change the retention policy after an instance is released?

Yes. Go to Backups > Backups for Deleted Instances, find the instance, and click Settings in the Retention Policy column to update the policy.

What happens when I change the policy to Do Not Retain after release?

The system permanently deletes all retained backup files. This action is irreversible — the data cannot be recovered. Use this option only when you are certain you no longer need the backups.