This topic provides answers to commonly asked questions about the billing of Simple Application Server.
What are the billable items of Simple Application Server?
The billable items of Simple Application Server mainly include the resource plan, the data disk, and excess data transfers. For more information, see Billable items.
Am I charged for creating snapshots and custom images?
No, you are not charged for creating snapshots and custom images in a simple application server. However, you need to take note of the following limits:
Snapshots:
You can create up to three snapshots for disks of each simple application server.
The maximum number of snapshots that can be retained in an Alibaba Cloud account is three times the number of simple application servers that are created in the account. The maximum value cannot be greater than 15.
Custom images: The maximum number of custom images that can be retained in an Alibaba Cloud account is three times the number of simple application servers that are created in the account. The maximum value cannot be greater than 15.
Am I charged for using the Service Interconnection feature?
No, you are not charged for using the Service Interconnection feature. By default, all simple application servers that are created by using the same Alibaba Cloud account and reside in the same region use the same virtual private cloud (VPC). If you want to allow simple application servers that belong to different Alibaba Cloud accounts or regions to be connected to each other, go to the Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) console. You are charged for service interconnection across Alibaba Cloud accounts or regions. For more information, see Billing rules.
Which resource plans are supported by Simple Application Server?
Simple Application Server provides cost-effective resource plans for computing resources. You can select multiple plans. For more information, see Pricing of resource plans. The prices of resource plans vary in different regions. The information that is displayed on the Simple Application Server buy page prevails.
Can I change the resource plans of my simple application servers?
Yes, you can change the resource plans of your simple application servers. However, you can change the resource plans only to higher-specification resource plans. The servers cannot be downgraded after they are upgraded. We recommend that you create snapshots for the disks of your simple application servers to back up data before you change resource plans. For more information, see Upgrade a simple application server.
How do I renew my simple application server?
You can renew your simple application server on the Server Overview page of the simple application server or in the Billing Management console For more information, see Upgrade and renew a simple application server. We recommend that you enable auto-renewal for the server. This prevents your business from being affected if the server is released after the server expires and is not renewed.
Does Simple Application Server support the pay-as-you-go billing method?
No, Simple Application Server does not support the pay-as-you-go billing method. The service supports only the subscription billing method.
How am I charged for excess data transfers?
Each resource plan that is provided by Simple Application Server contains a data transfer quota. You are charged for the excess data transfers on a pay-as-you-go basis after the quota is exceeded. If your Alibaba Cloud account does not have an overdue payment when excess data transfers occur, the simple application server is not automatically stopped.
The prices that are displayed in the Simple Application Server console shall prevail.
The price of pay-as-you-go data transfers = Unit price of data transfers × Excess data transfers. For information about the unit price of data transfers, see Simple Application Server Pricing.
For more information, see Billable items.
What is the peak bandwidth in resource plans?
Peak bandwidth refers to the maximum immediate data transfers that are performed on a simple application server. Different resource plans may provide different peak bandwidths. The specific peak bandwidth that is displayed on the Simple Application Server buy page shall prevail.
Does the peak bandwidth start to limit the data transfers that are performed on the simple application server when the monthly data transfer quota provided by the resource plan is exhausted?
No, the peak bandwidth does not start to limit the data transfers that are performed on the simple application server when the monthly data transfer quota provided by the resource plan is exhausted. The peak bandwidth imposes the limit on the data transfers when the server is purchased.
Is my simple application server stopped when my Alibaba Cloud account has an overdue payment but the resource plan for the simple application server is not expired?
If the data transfers that are performed on your simple application server do not exceed the data transfer quota provided by the resource plan, the server is not stopped when your Alibaba Cloud account has an overdue payment. If the data transfers that are performed on your simple application server exceed the data transfer quota provided by the resource plan, you are charged for the excess data transfers on a pay-as-you-go basis. If the Alibaba Cloud account has an overdue payment, the server is automatically stopped. This may affect your business. For more information, see Expiration and overdue payments.