Application Load Balancer (ALB) provides subscription resource plans. After an ALB resource plan takes effect, it automatically offsets the Load Balancer Capacity (LCU) fees and instance fees for ALB. Compared with the pay-as-you-go billing method, ALB resource plans are more cost-effective. You can control the time when you want your resource plans to take effect. ALB resource plans are suitable for enterprises on a fixed budget.

Features

  • Ready-to-use

    When you purchase an ALB resource plan, you can specify when the resource plan takes effect. After a resource plan takes effect, Alibaba Cloud automatically uses it to offset LCU fees and instance fees. You do not need to configure the resource plan.

  • Multiple sizes for different businesses

    ALB resource plans provide 1,000 to 100,000 LCUs to meet the business requirements of various enterprises. You can purchase multiple ALB resource plans to meet your business requirements.

  • Cost-effective

    Compared with the pay-as-you-go billing method, ALB resource plans are more cost-effective. Larger sizes of ALB resource plans provide LCUs at lower unit prices. You can purchase ALB resource plans to reduce the networking costs of your ALB service.

Regions that support ALB resource plans

AreaRegion
The Chinese mainlandChina (Qingdao), China (Beijing), China (Zhangjiakou), China (Ulanqab), China (Hangzhou), China (Shanghai), China (Shenzhen), and China (Chengdu).
Outside the Chinese mainlandChina (Hong Kong), Singapore, Australia (Sydney), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), India (Mumbai), Japan (Tokyo), UK (London), Germany (Frankfurt), US (Silicon Valley), and US (Virginia).

Unit prices for different sizes

Note The prices listed in the following table are for reference only. The actual prices on the buy page shall prevail.
SizeNumber of LCUsPrice (USD)
Mini1,000 LCU7
Small10,000 LCU69
Medium50,000 LCU340
Large100,000 LCU655

Usage rules

ItemDescription
Purchase ALB resource plans
  • You can configure an ALB resource plan to take effect immediately after you complete the payment or at a specified time.
  • The number of resource plans that you can purchase is unlimited. If you have purchased multiple ALB resource plans, the ALB resource plan that expires the earliest is first applied.
    Note If you exceed the quota of your ALB resource plans, you are charged on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Fees that can be offset by ALB resource plansInstance fees and LCU fees.
Important ALB resource plans cannot be used to offset the Internet data transfer fees for ALB.
Offset rules
  • Instance fee:
    • Basic ALB instances: one LCU per hour for each ALB instance.
    • Standard ALB instances: three LCUs per hour for each ALB instance.
    • WAF-enabled ALB instances: five LCUs per hour for each ALB instance.
  • LCU fees: A 1:1 ratio is applied. The actual number of LCUs consumed by ALB each hour is deducted from your resource plan.

FAQ about ALB resource plans

  • When does an ALB resource plan take effect?
    • If you select Immediately After Payment when you purchase an ALB resource plan, the ALB resource plan immediately takes effect after you complete the payment.
    • If you select Custom when you purchase an ALB resource plan, the ALB resource plan takes effect at the specified time.
  • Are ALB resource plans applied based on the purchase time?

    If you have purchased multiple ALB resource plans, ALB first applies the ALB resource plan that expires the earliest.

  • Can I export the usage details of an ALB resource plan?

    Yes, you can export the usage details of an ALB resource plan. You can view information such as the ID of the ALB instance to which the resource plan applies, number of LCUs deducted by time, and fees that are offset. For more information, see View the usage details of an ALB resource plan.

  • Can I request a refund after I purchase an ALB resource plan?

    No, you cannot request a refund for an ALB resource plan. After an ALB resource plan expires, unused LCUs are automatically cleared. You cannot transfer the unused LCUs to another resource plan.

  • Are ALB resource plans more cost-effective than the pay-as-you-go billing method of ALB?

    Aside from the smallest size, ALB resource plans are more cost-effective than the pay-as-you-go billing method. Larger sizes provide LCUs at lower unit prices.

  • Can I purchase multiple ALB resource plans?

    Yes, you can purchase multiple ALB resource plans. The resource plan that expires the earliest is first applied.

  • Do I need to configure an ALB resource plan after I purchase it?

    No, you do not need to configure an ALB resource plan after you purchase it. You need only to specify the time when an ALB resource plan takes effect when you purchase the resource plan.

  • How can I view the information about an ALB resource plan?

    You can view the basic information and usage details about a resource plan in the Alibaba Cloud User Center. You can search for resource plans by specifying parameters such as Effective Time and view the remaining LCUs and offset details about resource plans. For more information, go to the Resource Packages page.