ApsaraDB RDS:Use the cross-region backup feature

Differences between cross-region backups and default backups

Prerequisites

• The RDS instance must meet the following requirements:

  • The RDS instance uses a general-purpose or dedicated instance type. Shared instance types are not supported. For more information, see Instance families.

  • The RDS instance uses the subscription or pay-as-you-go billing method. Serverless RDS instances are not supported. For more information, see Serverless ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instances.

• The AliyunServiceRoleForDBS service-linked role is created by using your Alibaba Cloud account when you use the backup feature of ApsaraDB RDS for the first time. For more information, see How do I create a service-linked role for DBS?

Billing rules

Usage notes

• Cross-region backups do not affect default backups. These types of backups can exist at the same time.

• After a default backup is complete, a cross-region backup is triggered. During the cross-region backup process, the original RDS instance replicates the default backup file that is generated to the destination region.

• After you enable the cross-region backup feature, the system checks whether valid backup sets are generated for the RDS instance over the most recent 24 hours. If no valid backup sets are generated over the most recent 24 hours, a full backup is triggered for the RDS instance.

• Only RDS instances that run RDS Cluster Edition support cross-region snapshot backups. For more information, see Comparison between snapshot backup and physical backup.

• Cross-region snapshot backup files cannot be downloaded, but they can be used to restore data to a new RDS instance. For more information, see Restore the data of an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance across regions.

• After you enable the cross-region log backup feature, the original RDS instance checks the valid backup sets that are generated over the most recent 24 hours.

  • If continuous log files are archived following the valid backup sets, the system dumps the archived log files to the destination region.

  • If no continuous binary log files are archived following the valid backup sets, a backup is triggered on the secondary RDS instance.

• The cross-region backup feature is not supported in some Alibaba Cloud regions due to network reasons. The following table describes the Alibaba Cloud regions in which the feature is supported.

  Important

  • The cross-region backup feature allows you to replicate backup files from one Alibaba Cloud region to another, regardless of whether the regions are inside or outside China.

  • The cross-region backup feature allows you to replicate backup files only to a region that is different from the source region. The available destination regions vary based on your network environment.

  Supported environment	Region
  In the Chinese mainland	China (Beijing), China (Shanghai), China (Hangzhou), China (Shenzhen), China (Qingdao), China (Guangzhou), China (Ulanqab), China (Heyuan), China (Chengdu), China (Hohhot), and China (Zhangjiakou)
  Outside the Chinese mainland	China (Hong Kong), US (Silicon Valley), US (Virginia), Singapore, Japan (Tokyo), Germany (Frankfurt), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Indonesia (Jakarta), Philippines (Manila), UK (London), South Korea (Seoul), and Thailand (Bangkok)

Procedure

• Enable the cross-region backup feature

  1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instances reside.

  2. On the Cross-region Backup > Pending Instances tab, select the RDS instances for which you want to enable the cross-region backup feature and click Backup Settings.

     Note

     • You can also click Settings to the right of the RDS instance to enable the cross-region backup feature for a single RDS instance.

     • If you do not find the RDS instance for which you want to enable the cross-region backup feature, check whether the RDS instance meets all requirements that are described in Prerequisites.

  3. Configure the following parameters and click OK.

     Parameter	Description
     Cross-region Backup Status	Specifies whether to enable cross-region backup. Select Enable.
     Backup Region	The destination region to which the backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated.
     Cross-region Retention Period	The number of days for which cross-region backup files are retained. Valid values: 7 to 1825. The value 1825 is equivalent to five years. Note After the RDS instance expires or is released, its cross-region backup files are still retained based on the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. You can perform the following operations to view the cross-region backup files that do not expire: Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. On the page that appears, click the Cross-region Backup tab.
     Cross-region Log Backup Status	Specifies whether to enable or disable the cross-region log backup feature. After you enable the cross-region log backup feature, the log backup files of the RDS instance are automatically replicated to the specified OSS bucket in the destination region.
     Cross-border compliance agreement	The relevant agreement. Read and select the relevant agreement.

• Modify the cross-region backup settings of an RDS instance

  1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instances reside.

  2. On the Backups page, click the Cross-region Backup tab. Click the Backup Instances tab and find the RDS instance whose cross-region backup settings you want to modify. Then, click Settings in the Cross-region Backup Settings column to modify the cross-region backup settings of the RDS instance.

     Note

     If the RDS instance is released, you can only change the cross-region backup retention period.

• Disable the cross-region backup feature for an RDS instance

  If you no longer require cross-region backups, you can perform the following steps to disable the cross-region backup feature:

  1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instances reside.

  2. On the Cross-region Backup > Backup Instances tab, find the RDS instance for which you want to disable cross-region backups. Then, click Settings in the Cross-region Backup Settings column.

  3. Change the values of the Cross-region Backup Status parameter to Disabled and the Cross-region Retention Period parameter to 7. Then, click OK.

     Note

     After you disable the cross-region backup feature for your RDS instance, no new cross-region backup files are generated and you are no longer charged for the traffic that is consumed to transmit cross-region backup files. However, you are still charged for the storage of the existing cross-region backup files within the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. The existing cross-region backup files are retained for at least seven days. You can set the cross-region backup retention period to seven days. After the seven-day retention period elapses, all existing cross-region backup files are deleted, and you are no longer charged for the storage of cross-region backup files. For more information about how to specify a cross-region backup retention period, see Procedure.

• View and download the cross-region backup sets of an RDS instance

  1. Log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backups. In the top navigation bar, select the region in which the RDS instances reside.

  2. On the Cross-region Backup > Backup Instances tab, view the cross-region backup files of the RDS instances for which the cross-region backup feature is enabled.

  3. Click the ID of the RDS instance. On the page that appears, click the Data Backup or Log Backup tab. Then, find the backup set that you want to download, and click Download in the Actions column.

  4. Select I have learnt the billing rules for backup file download. and click Download.

     Note

     For more information about the billing rules, see Network traffic fees.

References

• After a cross-region backup is complete, you can restore the data of the original RDS instance by using the generated cross-region backup files to an existing RDS instance or to a new RDS instance that resides in the destination region. For more information, see Restore the data of an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance across regions.

• For more information about how to modify the cross-region backup settings, such as the destination region to which the cross-region backup files can be replicated and the number of days for which the cross-region backup files are retained, or how to disable the cross-region backup feature, see Procedure.

• You can also call the following API operations to perform operations related to the cross-region backup feature:

  • CheckCreateDdrDBInstance

  • CreateDdrInstance

  • ModifyInstanceCrossBackupPolicy

  • DescribeInstanceCrossBackupPolicy

  • DescribeCrossBackupMetaList

  • DescribeCrossRegionBackups

  • DescribeCrossRegionLogBackupFiles

  • DescribeAvailableCrossRegion

  • DescribeCrossRegionBackupDBInstance

FAQ

• After I disable cross-region backups for my RDS instance, why am I still charged for the storage of cross-region backup files?

  After you disable the cross-region backup feature for your RDS instance, no new cross-region backup files are generated and you are no longer charged for the traffic that is consumed to transmit cross-region backup files. However, you are still charged for the storage of the existing cross-region backup files within the cross-region backup retention period that you specify. The existing cross-region backup files are retained for at least seven days. You can set the cross-region backup retention period to seven days. After the seven-day retention period elapses, all existing cross-region backup files are deleted, and you are no longer charged for the storage of cross-region backup files. For more information about how to specify a cross-region backup retention period, see Procedure.

• What resource plan can I use to offset the fees generated for the cross-region backup storage when I perform cross-region backups on an RDS instance in the ApsaraDB RDS console?

  No resource plan is available to offset the cross-region storage fees for your RDS instance.