Each ApsaraDB RDS instance includes a free backup storage quota equal to 50% of purchased storage capacity. When total backup usage exceeds this quota, you are charged for the excess.
Free quota formula:
Free quota = Purchased storage capacity x 50%
Billable amount = Total backup storage used - Free quotaFor example, if you purchased 1,000 GB of storage, your free quota is 500 GB. If backup files total 700 GB, you are charged for 200 GB of excess backup storage.
Billing
For backup storage pricing, see the billing documentation for your database engine:
Solutions
You can use the following methods to resolve the issue:
Choose a solution based on your situation:
| Solution | Effect | Risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase storage capacity | Expands the free quota immediately | None | Long-term fix when storage is also running low |
| Shorten backup retention period | Reduces stored backup volume over time | Low | Instances with long retention periods |
| Reduce data backup frequency | Fewer backups accumulate over time | Low | Instances with very frequent backup schedules |
| Disable log backup | Eliminates all log backup storage | High — point-in-time recovery is no longer possible | Non-critical workloads only |
Increase storage capacity (recommended)
Increasing storage capacity directly expands your free quota, because the free quota equals 50% of purchased storage. This solution has no impact on backup availability or recovery.
To increase storage capacity, see the documentation for your database engine:
Shorten the backup retention period
Set both the data backup retention period and the log backup retention period to seven days. ApsaraDB RDS automatically deletes backup files older than the configured retention period.
The log backup retention period must be shorter than or equal to the data backup retention period.
To configure backup retention periods, see the documentation for your database engine:
Reduce data backup frequency
Reduce the data backup frequency to two or three times per week. For data security, back up at least twice per week.
ApsaraDB RDS for MariaDB performs daily backups by default. This frequency cannot be modified.
To configure backup frequency, see the documentation for your database engine:
Disable log backup
If your workloads do not require point-in-time recovery, disable the log backup feature to eliminate log backup storage entirely.
If you disable this feature, all log backup files are deleted and you cannot restore the data of your RDS instance to a specified point in time. Proceed with caution.
To disable log backup, see the documentation for your database engine:
FAQ
Can I reduce backup storage by uploading binary log files to Object Storage Service (OSS)?
No. Once binary log files are uploaded to OSS, they become log backup files and still count toward your backup storage usage. Uploading binary logs to OSS does not reduce backup storage consumption.