A cluster is the primary resource in DashVector. Create one before you start storing vectors or running queries.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure that you have:
An Alibaba Cloud account
DashVector activated in a supported region (US (Virginia) or Singapore)
Choose a cluster type
DashVector offers three cluster types. Select based on your workload:
| Cluster type | Best for | Storage | QPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance type | High concurrency, latency-sensitive, or write-heavy workloads | Standard | High |
| Storage type | Large-scale data with fast growth and moderate query volume | 5x Performance type | Moderate |
| Free trial | Testing and prototyping only — not for production | Serverless | Limited |
Free trial limits:
Valid for 30 days from creation, then automatically released and all data deleted
One free trial cluster per Alibaba Cloud account at a time; after it expires or is released, you can create another one
Up to 2 collections per cluster
Paid cluster limits:
Up to 32 collections per cluster
6 instance specification options, differing primarily in storage capacity — see Specifications
Create a cluster
Log on to the DashVector console.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Clusters. On the Clusters page, click Create Cluster.
Configure the following parameters, then click Buy Now
Changing the replica count affects QPS and availability only, not storage capacity.
Parameter Description Billing Method Pay-as-you-go only. See Billing. Region US (Virginia) or Singapore. Instance type Performance type, Storage type, or Free trial. See Choose a cluster type. Instance specifications For paid clusters, choose from 6 options based on storage capacity. Free trial clusters use a serverless architecture. Number of copies Number of replicas, from 1 to 5. Replicas hold identical data. Each additional replica increases queries per second (QPS) linearly and improves availability. Cluster Name 3-32 characters. Letters, digits, underscores ( _), and hyphens (-) are allowed. Must be unique within your Alibaba Cloud account.Review the configuration, accept the Terms of Service, and click Activate Now
Click Console to return to the DashVector console overview. The cluster is ready to use once provisioning completes.
Going live
Before moving to production, address the following:
Cluster type: Use a Performance type or Storage type cluster. Free trial clusters are not supported in production environments.
Replicas: Use at least 2 replicas to maintain availability during failures or maintenance. Add more replicas to scale QPS horizontally.
Data migration: If you are graduating from a free trial cluster, transfer your data to a paid cluster before the 30-day trial expires, or upgrade the free trial cluster to a paid cluster directly from the console.