If you no longer need an RDS MySQL instance, you can manually release a pay-as-you-go or Serverless instance, or unsubscribe from a subscription instance. This topic describes how to release or unsubscribe from an instance in the console and by calling an API operation. It also covers important notes and frequently asked questions (FAQ).
Notes
You can only release pay-as-you-go and Serverless instances. You can only unsubscribe from subscription instances.
After you release or unsubscribe from an instance, data retention depends on the following scenarios:
Instance is moved to the recycle bin
The following types of instances are moved to the recycle bin. You can unlock and restore the instances in the recycle bin:
Subscription instances that are released upon expiration or manually unsubscribed from.
Manually released pay-as-you-go instances.
Manually released Serverless instances.
NoteOnly some instances that meet the requirements are moved to the recycle bin. For more information about the specific conditions, see Instance recycle bin.
Data backup retention policy
If the Backup Retention Policy After Instance Release is configured for an instance, its data backups are retained even after the instance is released or you unsubscribe from it. You can download these backups to your local computer. If you set the policy to Latest or All, you will incur minor backup storage fees. For more information about how to delete these backups, see Delete Backups of Deleted Instances.
Cross-region backup retention
If cross-region backup is enabled for an instance, the cross-region backup data is retained if it is still within the retention period.
Immediate data purge
In all other cases, the instance is immediately purged. The instance data is deleted and cannot be recovered. Perform this operation with caution. You should back up data and download the backups in advance.
Rules for releasing primary and read-only instances:
To release the last read-only instance of a primary instance, you must first disable the read/write splitting feature.
After a primary instance is released, its subscription read-only instances are automatically unsubscribed from and released with a refund. Its pay-as-you-go read-only instances are directly released.
After you unsubscribe from a subscription instance, it enters a locked state. It remains visible in the console, but billing stops. The instance is completely removed from the console only after you destroy the instance in the recycle bin.
Release or unsubscribe from a primary instance
Release a pay-as-you-go primary instance and a Serverless instance
Log on to the RDS console. In the navigation pane on the left, click Instances. Then, select a region in the top navigation bar.
Open the Release Instance dialog box:
Method 1: Find the target instance and choose in the Actions column.
Method 2: Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, in the Running Status section, click Release Instance.
In the dialog box that appears, click OK.
Unsubscribe from a subscription primary instance
You can unsubscribe from an instance from one of the following three locations:
Unsubscription Management page
Log on to the Unsubscription Management page and submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the subscription instance.
Instances page
Log on to the RDS console. In the navigation pane on the left, click Instances. Then, select a region in the top navigation bar.
Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, in the Running Status section, click Unsubscribe From Instance. You are redirected to the Unsubscription Management page. Then, submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.
Instance details page
Log on to the RDS console. In the navigation pane on the left, click Instances. Then, select a region in the top navigation bar.
In the Actions column of the target instance, choose More > Unsubscribe Instance. In the dialog box that appears, click OK. You are redirected to the Resource Unsubscription page. Then, submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.
Release or unsubscribe from a read-only instance
Manually release a pay-as-you-go read-only instance
Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Instances. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which your RDS instance resides.
Open the Release Instance dialog box:
Method 1: Find the target read-only instance and choose in the Actions column.
Method 2: Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, click Release Instance.
In the dialog box that appears, click OK.
Manually unsubscribe from a subscription read-only instance
You can unsubscribe from an instance from one of the following three locations:
Unsubscription Management page
Log on to the Unsubscription Management page and submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the subscription instance.
Instances page
Log on to the RDS console. In the navigation pane on the left, click Instances. Then, select a region in the top navigation bar.
Click the target instance ID. On the Basic Information page, in the Running Status section, click Unsubscribe From Instance. You are redirected to the Unsubscription Management page, where you can submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.
Instance details page
Log on to the RDS console. In the navigation pane on the left, click Instances. Then, select a region in the top navigation bar.
In the Actions column of the target instance, choose More > Unsubscribe Instance. In the dialog box that appears, click OK. You are redirected to the Unsubscription Management page. Then, submit a ticket to unsubscribe from the instance.
Automatically release a read-only instance
After a primary instance is released, its subscription read-only instances are automatically unsubscribed from and released with a refund, and its pay-as-you-go read-only instances are directly released.
FAQ
Related API operations
API | Description |
Releases a pay-as-you-go or Serverless RDS instance. Subscription instances cannot be unsubscribed from by calling an API operation. |