Create an ApsaraDB for SelectDB instance to get a fully managed Apache Doris environment. Instance creation takes 10 to 15 minutes. After the instance is ready, configure the whitelist and connect to start loading data.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
An Alibaba Cloud account. If you don't have one, register at alibabacloud.com.official Alibaba Cloud website
Application Real-Time Monitoring Service (ARMS) activated for your account. Activation is free. All ARMS sub-products are available after activation. For paid sub-products, ARMS provides a free quota; charges apply after the quota is exhausted. For instructions, see Activate ARMS.
Before you create
RAM user permissions: A RAM user must have the
AliyunSelectDBFullAccesspermission to create an instance. For details, see Grant permissions to a RAM user.Account balance: For pay-as-you-go instances, make sure your Alibaba Cloud account has a sufficient balance.sufficient balance
Clusters: Each instance starts with one cluster that uses the same billing method as the instance. To add more clusters later, see Create a cluster.
Whitelist: After the instance is created, an FE cluster address is generated. This address is accessible within your virtual private cloud (VPC) and exposes port 8080 for HTTP operations such as StreamLoad imports and metric scraping. Access is controlled by a whitelist — add your client IP to the instance whitelist before connecting.
Choose a billing method
| Billing method | Best for | Key trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Long-term, steady workloads | Lower cost per hour; you commit to a duration upfront |
| Pay-as-you-go | Testing, short-term, or variable workloads | No commitment; pay for what you use. Switch to subscription once usage stabilizes. |
Create an instance
Log in to the ApsaraDB for SelectDB console.
On the Instances page, click Create Instance.
Select a Billing Method: Subscription or Pay-as-you-go.
Configure the instance parameters. Parameters differ slightly between billing methods — see the tables below.
Click Buy Now and complete the payment.
The instance appears on the Instances page. Refresh the page to track its status. It is ready to use after 10 to 15 minutes.
Instance parameters
The following parameters apply to both billing methods unless noted otherwise.
Network
| Parameter | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Region | The region where the instance is deployed. Cannot be changed after creation. Choose the region closest to your application to reduce latency. | China (Hangzhou) |
| Zone | A physically isolated area within a region with independent power and networking. | Hangzhou Zone H |
| VPC | The virtual private cloud (VPC) to deploy the instance in. If you don't have a VPC, create one in the VPC console. | vpc-bp175iuvg8nxqraf2\*\*\*\* |
| vSwitch | A vSwitch within the selected VPC. If you don't have a vSwitch, create one in the VPC console. | vsw-bp1gzt31twhlo0sa5\*\*\*\* |
Instance configuration
| Parameter | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Kernel version | The SelectDB kernel version, which corresponds to an Apache Doris version. For version details and compatibility, see Kernel release history. For production workloads, use the latest stable version. To maintain compatibility with existing Doris data, choose the version that matches your current Doris deployment. | 3.0 (Subscription) / 2.4 (Pay-as-you-go) |
| Instance deployment architecture | Determines disaster recovery capability. Zone-redundant Storage deploys resources across multiple zones — if one zone fails, the service recovers in another zone with no metadata or data loss. Recommended for production workloads. Locally Redundant Storage deploys in a single zone at lower cost but without cross-zone disaster recovery. | Zone-redundant Storage |
| Cluster computing resources | The total vCores and memory for all clusters in the instance. When you create the instance, one default cluster is created — its resources equal the value you set here. | 8 vCores, 32 GB (Subscription) / 4 vCores, 16 GB (Pay-as-you-go) |
| Cluster cache size | The total cache capacity for all clusters in the instance. The cache stores hot data to speed up reads and writes. Available cache sizes depend on the computing resource specification you selected. Unit: GB. | 200 GB |
| Table name case sensitivity | Specifies whether table names are case-sensitive. | Case-sensitive |
| Resource group | The resource group to assign the instance to. If a RAM user needs to access the instance through a resource group, grant the required permissions first. See Grant permissions to access ApsaraDB for SelectDB instances using resource groups. | Default Resource Group |
| Tag | (Optional) A tag to help organize and identify the instance. | — |
Subscription-only parameters
| Parameter | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Instance storage capacity | Stores the full dataset. No size needs to be specified upfront — storage is metered hourly based on actual usage. | — |
| Duration | The subscription duration. Longer durations receive higher discounts. | 1 month |
| Auto-renewal | Automatically renews the subscription before it expires. If not enabled at creation, turn it on in the Renewal console later. | — |
What's next
After the instance is ready:
Configure the whitelist — Add your client IP to the instance whitelist. This is required before you can connect. See Configure a whitelist.
Connect to the instance — Connect to the instance to start using it.
Load data — Import data using StreamLoad or other supported methods.