When your Web Application Firewall (WAF) instance expires, the instance stops providing services. To ensure service continuity, enable auto-renewal or renew your instance before your instance expires. This topic describes how to renew a subscription WAF instance.
If you use a pay-as-you-go WAF instance, you are charged based on your actual resource usage. You do not need to renew your pay-as-you-go WAF instance.
Instance expiration
Alibaba Cloud notifies you to top up your Alibaba Cloud account by text message or email seven days before your WAF instance expires.
After your WAF instance expires, the instance no longer provides services. The configurations of your WAF instance are retained for a 15-day grace period. During the grace period, the WAF instance does not provide services. If you renew your WAF instance within the grace period, you can continue using your instance.
If you do not renew your WAF instance within the grace period, your instance is released and no longer protects your websites.
WarningAfter your WAF instance is released, a website that was protected by the instance cannot be accessed unless you modify the Domain Name System (DNS) record of the website to point the domain name to the origin server. Before your WAF instance is released, make sure that the DNS records of the websites that are protected by the instance point to the origin server. For more information about how to modify a DNS record, see Modify a DNS record.
After your WAF instance is released, all the configurations of the websites that are protected by the instance are deleted. If a request is still redirected to your WAF instance, the request cannot be forwarded to the origin server, and the access fails.
Procedure
Log on to the WAF 3.0 console. In the top navigation bar, select the resource group and the region in which the WAF instance is deployed. You can select Chinese Mainland or Outside Chinese Mainland.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Overview.
Renew your WAF instance.
Manual renewal
In the Protected Assets section of the Overview page, click Renew.
On the Renew page, specify a subscription duration, read and select Web Application Firewall Terms of Service, click Buy Now, and then complete the payment.
After you complete the payment, you can view the expiration time of your WAF instance in the Protected Assets section of the Overview page.
Auto-renewal
In the Protected Assets section of the Overview page, click Auto-Renewal.
On the Manual tab of the Renewal page, find the WAF instance for which you want to enable auto-renewal and click Enable Auto Renewal in the Actions column.
In the Enable Auto Renewal dialog box, select an auto-renewal period and click Auto Renew.
After you enable auto-renewal for your WAF instance, you can view or modify the renewal information on the Auto tab. Before your WAF instance expires, Alibaba Cloud notifies you that the renewal fee is automatically deducted and generates a renewal order. You do not need to manually renew your WAF instance.
NoteAfter you enable auto-renewal, Alibaba Cloud automatically deducts the renewal fee from your account balance nine days before your WAF instance expires. Make sure that your Alibaba Cloud account has sufficient balance. If you receive a notification about an auto-renewal failure, you must manually renew your WAF instance before the instance expires. Then, you can re-enable auto-renewal.
Auto-renewal supports coupons. Alibaba Cloud automatically applies eligible coupons to help you obtain the lowest price available.
Auto-renewal takes effect the next day after it is enabled.