Use ECS in the Alibaba Cloud app
This topic describes how to perform common operations in the Alibaba Cloud app, including creating an instance, connecting remotely, resetting a password, changing an operating system, monitoring data, and performing a health check.
Prerequisites
You have downloaded and installed the Alibaba Cloud app on your mobile device. For more information, see Download the Alibaba Cloud app.
You have registered an account and logged on to the Alibaba Cloud app. For more information, see Log on to an account in the Alibaba Cloud app.
Access the console
You can access the ECS console from the Search box or the Product List.
Search box
Open the Alibaba Cloud app and tap the Console tab.
In the search box at the top, enter ECS.
In the ECS section, tap Go to Console to open the ECS console.
Product list
Open the Alibaba Cloud app and tap the Console tab.
At the top, tap All Consoles to open the All Consoles page.
On the All Consoles page, tap Compute and then tap ECS.
If you do not see ECS on the Compute tab, check the My Console tab or search for ECS on the home page.
Create an instance
If you have already created an ECS instance in the console on your PC, you can skip this step.
The message You do not have an ECS instance appears on the Instance List page the first time you access the ECS console in the Alibaba Cloud app. Follow the on-screen instructions to create an ECS instance.
On the Instance List page, tap Create Instance to open the ECS purchase page.
On the purchase page, select a billing method, region and zone, instance type, and image. Review the costs and tap Buy Now.
After the ECS instance is created, you can view its information, such as the instance status, on the Instance List page under the Instances tab.
Remote connection
You can connect to an ECS instance in the Alibaba Cloud app using Workbench or SSH.
Workbench
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap .
On the Log On to Instance page, configure the logon information and tap Confirm Logon.
The following table describes the key parameters. Use the default values for other parameters.
Parameter
Description
Logon method
You can select Configure Logon or Password Logon. In this example, Password Logon is selected.
If you select Configure Logon, tap
and provide the required credentials as prompted.Network connection
You can use a public or private network connection. This example uses a public network.
Connection protocol
You can select Terminal Connection (SSH) or Remote Desktop (RDP). In this example, Terminal Connection (SSH) is selected.
Use SSH to connect to a Linux instance and RDP to connect to a Windows instance.
Port
The default port is
22.Username
Enter a username, such as
root.Password
Enter the password for the specified username.
SSH
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap .
On the SSH Connection page, configure the logon information and tap Confirm Connection.
Key Pair Logon
Only Linux instances support connections by using key pairs. Windows instances do not support this method. Before you can connect with a key pair, you must first create and bind it. For more information, see Manage key pairs.
Parameter
Description
Logon name
Enter a username, such as
root.Key
Select the .pem key file.
Key passphrase
Enter the key passphrase.
Port
The default port is
22.Password Logon: At the bottom of the SSH Connection page, tap the
icon to switch to the password connection page.Parameter
Description
Logon name
Enter a username, such as
root.Password
Enter the password.
Port
The default port is
22.
Reset password
If you forget your instance password, or did not set one during creation, you must reset it.
Restarting an instance interrupts its services, which can disrupt your business. We recommend performing this operation during off-peak hours.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap .
On the Reset Password page, enter the New Password and Confirm Password, and then tap Submit.
Start, restart, stop, or release instance
Start instance
When an instance is in a state where it cannot provide services, such as Stopped, you must start the instance before you can use it.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap .
Tap OK.
After the instance is started, its state changes to Running.
Restart instance
Restarting an instance is a common maintenance operation for tasks like applying updates. This action temporarily interrupts your services, so proceed with caution.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Restart.Select a restart method, such as whether to force a restart, and then tap OK.
ImportantForce restarting an instance may cause unsaved data to be lost. Proceed with caution.
Stop instance
Stopping an instance makes your services unavailable. Proceed with caution.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Stop.On the Stop Instance page, tap Next.
Select a stop method or a stop mode. For example, you can select whether to force a stop or use Economical Mode. Then, tap OK.
After the instance is stopped, its state changes to Stopped.
Release instance
If you no longer need an instance, you can release it to avoid additional charges.
You cannot release a subscription instance before it expires. To do so, you must first convert it to a pay-as-you-go instance or cancel the subscription.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Release Settings.In the Information Confirmation step, select a release method, such as whether to schedule the release, and then tap Next.
In the Confirm Operation step, select I understand that the selected resources and their associated resources will be released, and I am aware of the related data risks., and then tap Confirm.
Change operating system
You can change an instance's operating system if the current one is incorrect or no longer meets your business needs.
You cannot change the operating system of a running ECS instance.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Change Operating System.As prompted, select the new image and logon credentials, and then tap Confirm.
Create custom image
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Create Custom Image.On the Create Custom Image page, enter an image name and description, and then tap Confirm.
After the custom image is created, you can view its information on the Images tab.
Add security group rule
Security group rules control inbound and outbound traffic for an instance. Use these rules to allow or deny specific traffic, block unnecessary ports, limit traffic for specific protocols, and control application access.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Add Security Group Rule.Select an authorization policy, protocol type, authorization type, and authorization object, and then tap Confirm.
After the security group rule is added, you can find it on the Security Group Rules tab of the corresponding security group.
Attach disk
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Attach Disk.On the Attach Disk page, select the target disk and its release behavior, and then tap Submit.
After the disk is attached, you can view the attached disk on the Disks tab.
Monitor data
Monitoring an ECS instance's traffic, vCPU, memory, and disk usage helps you track resource consumption and improve O&M efficiency.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap .
On the Monitoring tab, view monitoring information such as bandwidth, CPU utilization, and memory usage.
Monitoring Item Type: You can select OS monitoring, basic monitoring, or network monitoring.
Basic monitoring data is collected every minute, and OS monitoring data is collected every 15 seconds. For more information, see OS monitoring.
Time Period: The aggregation method varies by chart. A shorter time range provides more granular data.
Health check
The health check feature diagnoses an instance's system, network, and disk status. This helps you understand the instance's condition and quickly resolve common issues.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target instance and tap
> Diagnose Now.On the Create Instance Health Diagnosis page, select the instance to diagnose and the time range for troubleshooting, and then tap Diagnose Now.
In the diagnosis report that appears, view the details and resolve any detected issues.
Renew instance (subscription only)
Pay-as-you-go instances cannot be renewed. This section applies only to subscription instances.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
Renew the subscription ECS instance.
Auto-renewal
This example shows how to enable auto-renewal for an existing subscription instance. You can also enable auto-renewal when you create an instance.
On the Instances tab, find the target subscription instance and tap
> Configure Auto-renewal.On the Configure Auto-renewal page, read the notice, turn on Auto-renewal, select a Renewal Duration, and then tap Confirm.
When the subscription is about to expire, the system automatically renews it and deducts the fee, provided your account has a sufficient balance.
Manual renewal
On the Instances tab, find the target subscription instance and tap
> Renew.On the Renew ECS Instance page, select a renewal period, confirm the instance information, read the relevant agreements, and then tap Pay Now.
On the payment page, tap Purchase.
After the renewal is complete, you can view the updated expiration date of the instance on the Instances tab.
Temporary bandwidth upgrade (subscription only)
If you are using a subscription instance and have high-traffic business demands during specific periods, such as promotional events or data migration, you can temporarily upgrade its public bandwidth to handle the increased load without incurring long-term costs.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target subscription instance and tap
> Temporary Bandwidth Upgrade.On the Temporary Bandwidth Upgrade page, select the bandwidth size for the temporary upgrade and the time range for the upgrade, and then tap Confirm Upgrade.
On the payment page, tap Purchase.
After the temporary bandwidth upgrade is complete, you can view the upgraded bandwidth on the Basic Information page of the subscription instance.
Upgrade or downgrade configurations (subscription only)
If your subscription instance's configuration no longer meets your business needs, you can change its instance type, public bandwidth settings, and the billing method for data disks.
On the Instance List page, select the instance's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Instances tab, find the target subscription instance and tap
> Upgrade/Downgrade.On the Upgrade/Downgrade page, choose an option based on your needs.
Upgrade configurations
Tap Upgrade Configurations, read the instructions, and then tap Next.
As prompted, select the target instance type and basic bandwidth information, and then tap Submit Order.
On the payment page, tap Purchase.
Temporary bandwidth upgrade
Tap Temporary Bandwidth Upgrade, read the instructions, and then tap Next.
On the Temporary Bandwidth Upgrade page, set the target bandwidth, select the start and end times for the bandwidth upgrade, and then tap Submit Order.
In the Upgrade Notice dialog box that appears, tap Proceed to Payment.
On the payment page, tap Purchase.
Downgrade upon renewal
Tap Downgrade upon Renewal, read the instructions, and then tap Next.
On the Downgrade upon Renewal page, select the target instance type, public bandwidth billing method and value, downgrade duration, and instance restart time, and then tap Submit Order.
In the User Instructions dialog box that appears, tap OK.
On the payment page, tap Purchase.
Delete snapshot
If you no longer need a snapshot or if you have exceeded your quota, you can manually delete snapshots to free up space and avoid ongoing charges.
On the Instance List page, select the snapshot's region. For example, China (Hangzhou).
On the Snapshots tab, find the target snapshot and tap
> Delete Snapshot.On the Delete Snapshot page, tap Delete Snapshot.
To delete a snapshot that is used by a custom image, you must first delete the custom image. After you delete the custom image, ECS instances created from that image can still run, but you can no longer reset their operating systems.
ImportantAfter a snapshot is deleted, it cannot be recovered and the data cannot be retrieved. In addition, disks created from the snapshot cannot be initialized. Proceed with caution.