You can purchase resource plans to reserve resources and reduce costs. A resource plan is a subscription billing method that allows you to pay for resources before you use them. This topic describes how to purchase Cloud Backup resource plans for various scenarios.
Usage notes
You can purchase Cloud Backup resource plans based on the total capacity of resources that you require. For example, to offset the backup fees of databases that are hosted on Elastic Compute Service (ECS), you can purchase a Storage Space for Database Backup resource plan. You can select a capacity for the resource plan based on the total size of ECS-hosted databases. You do not need to purchase a separate resource plan for each ECS-hosted database. To offset the backup fees in other scenarios, you can purchase a Backup Storage resource plan. You can select a capacity for the resource plan based on the total size of the source data.
You cannot purchase resource plans to offset traffic fees because you are charged for traffic based on the pay-as-you-go billing method. For more information, see Pricing of Cloud Backup.
If you purchase a resource plan (the resource plan has not expired and the resource plan type matches the billing method), Cloud Backup first uses the resource plan to offset storage usage fees. If the storage capacity of the resource plan is used up, you are charged for the excess resource usage based on the pay-as-you-go billing method. To purchase a new resource plan, go to the buy page.
Cloud Backup resource plans are not provided for specific regions. You can use resource plans to offset backup fees of your account in all regions. You can purchase multiple resource plans. The total capacity is equal to the sum of all resource plans.
Resource plans are not bound to backup data. Resource plans are used to offset fees when you settle bills. Therefore, when you purchase a resource plan, replace a client, or create or delete a backup vault, you do not need to unbind or rebind a resource plan.
After you purchase a resource plan, you can use the resource plan only by using the same Alibaba Cloud account and the associated Resource Access Management (RAM) users. You cannot switch to another account to use the resource plan.
Scenarios
You can purchase different resource plans for standard backup features and Cloud Backup Essential Edition.
Resource plans for standard backup features
Cloud Backup resource plans are divided into two categories. One category is suitable for database backup scenarios. The other category is suitable for other scenarios. The following tables describe the details.
In the following tables, the check mark (√) indicates that you must purchase the resource plan in the scenario. The cross sign (×) indicates that you do not need to purchase the resource plan in the scenario.
Database backup scenarios
The scenarios include the backup of MySQL, Oracle, and SQL Server databases that are hosted on on-premises servers and ECS instances. The backup of SAP HANA databases is not included.
Scenario
Database Backup Vaults
Storage Space for Database Backup
Database backup
√
Purchase the resource plan based on the number of database backup vaults.
√
Purchase the resource plan based on the capacity of your source database. We recommend that you select a storage capacity that is at least 1.5 times the capacity of the database. If the backup storage you use exceeds the capacity of your resource plan, you can purchase another resource plan to cover the excess usage.
Other scenarios
Scenario
Backup Storage
File Backup Source Quantity
VMware Disk Size Specification
SAP HANA Quantity
On-premises file backup
√
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
√
Purchase the resource plan based on the number of servers that you want to back up.
x
x
On-premises VMware VM backup
√
We recommend that you select a storage capacity that is at least 80% of the total disk size of the VMware VMs. After you purchase the resource plan, you can upgrade the resource plan based on your business requirements.
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
x
√
Purchase the resource plan based on the total disk size of VMware VMs that you want to back up.
x
ECS file backup
√
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
√
Purchase the resource plan based on the number of source ECS instances.
x
x
ECS-hosted SAP HANA database backup
√
We recommend that you select a storage capacity that is at least twice the size of your source database. After you purchase the resource plan, you can upgrade the resource plan based on your business requirements.
x
x
√
Purchase the resource plan based on the number of source ECS instances.
Object Storage Service (OSS) backup
√
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
x
x
x
File Storage NAS backup
√
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
x
x
x
On-premises NAS backup
√
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
x
x
x
ECS instance backup
ECS instance backup is a backup orchestration service provided by Cloud Backup based on the disk snapshot capability. The first time you back up ECS instances, you must activate the snapshot service.
You can purchase resource plans based on the number of ECS instances that you want to back up.
The following fees are incurred:
Snapshot fees: The fees for the storage usage of ECS snapshots that are used by the ECS instance backup feature are included into your ECS bills. If you enable cross-region replication, the fees for the storage usage of ECS snapshots that are replicated to the destination region and the fees for cross-region traffic are also included into your ECS bills. For more information, see Snapshots. OSS resource plans can be used to offset only the storage fees of snapshots, and cannot be used to offset the traffic fees for snapshot replication.
Client usage fee: The fee is included into your Cloud Backup service bill. The fee is extremely low. For more information, see Pricing of Cloud Backup.
CPFS backup
√
You can use Backup Storage Calculator to estimate the required backup storage.
x
x
x
Comparison between the old and new resource plans
You can still use the old resource plans that you have purchased. The following table lists the names of the old and new resource plans.
Old resource plan | New resource plan | Description |
Rental of database backup vaults | Database Backup Vaults | None |
Storage capacity for database backups | Storage Space for Database Backup | None |
Storage capacity for log backups | Storage Space for Database Backup | You can purchase the new resource plan to offset log backup fees. |
Storage capacity for backups | Backup Storage | None |
File backup clients | File Backup Source Quantity | None |
SAP HANA backup clients | SAP HANA Quantity | None |
VMware VM backup clients | VMware Disk Size Specification | The word "clients" included in the name of the old resource plan indicates the disk size of VMware VMs. |
To purchase a new resource plan, go to the buy page.