Performance Testing Service (PTS) offers subscription-based resource plans to offset pay-as-you-go costs. This topic describes the editions, billable items, billing details, purchase methods, and applicable scenarios for these resource plans. It also explains what happens after a resource plan expires.
Editions
Pay-as-you-go resource plans are available in Basic and Premium editions. Each edition offers a different maximum number of virtual users (VUs), also known as maximum concurrency.
Billable items
Pay-as-you-go resource plans are billed based on each stress testing task. After a task is complete, the consumed Virtual User Minutes (VUMs) are deducted from your resource plan. The number of VUMs consumed is affected by the number of source IPs used, the stress testing duration, and the log sample rate.
Billable item |
Billable sub-item |
VUM consumption |
Number of source IPs used |
Stress testing duration (minutes) |
|
Stress testing log sample rate (default: 1%) |
VUM consumption = Number of source IPs used × 500 (concurrent users) × Stress testing duration (minutes)
When you configure a stress testing scenario, the default log sample rate on the Advanced Settings page is 1%. If you set a sample rate higher than 1%, additional VUMs are consumed. The total VUM consumption is calculated as follows: Total VUMs = (1 + Sample Rate) × Base VUMs. Base VUMs are calculated as: Number of source IPs × 500 concurrent users × Stress testing duration in minutes. For example, if you set the log sample rate to 20%, the total VUM consumption is 1.2 times the base amount. If you set the sample rate to the maximum of 100%, the total VUM consumption is double the base amount.
The stress testing duration is measured in minutes. Durations of less than one minute are billed proportionally. For example, if a stress test runs for 5 minutes and 40 seconds, the 40 seconds are converted to approximately 0.67 minutes. The total billable duration for this test is 5.67 minutes.
The number of source IPs used is calculated as follows:
If you do not use the IP extension feature:
In concurrent mode: Number of source IPs used = Maximum concurrency / 500 (rounded up)
In RPS mode: Number of source IPs used = Maximum RPS / 4000 (rounded up)
If you use the IP extension feature, the number of source IPs used is the number of IPs you specify.
When you run a PTS stress test over the public network, the maximum bandwidth for each stress testing agent is 100 Mbps (approximately 12.5 MB/s). If an agent's bandwidth becomes saturated, it can cause an increase in testing errors and a significant increase in response time (RT). As a result, the test results will not accurately reflect your system's true performance. Before you start a test, estimate the required bandwidth. Then, during scenario configuration, set a sufficient number of stress testing agents to provide enough bandwidth. Additionally, monitor the resulting billing changes to avoid unexpected costs.
Billing details
The following table describes the validity period, maximum concurrency, maximum RPS, VUM quota, and other capabilities of the Basic and Premium editions of pay-as-you-go resource plans.
Different editions offer different VUM quotas. Within the same edition, the price varies based on the VUM quota. For specific pricing, see the Pay-as-you-go Resource Plan Purchase Page.
Basic Edition |
Premium Edition |
|
Validity period |
|
|
Maximum configurable concurrent users |
50,000 |
1,000,000 |
Maximum configurable RPS |
400,000 |
8,000,000 |
VUM quota |
|
|
Concurrent scenarios |
10 |
30 |
APIs per scenario |
100 |
100 |
Parameter file size |
2 GB |
2 GB |
Maximum number of IPs |
300 |
4,000 |
IPv6 |
Supported |
Support |
Stress testing within an Alibaba Cloud region |
Support |
Supported |
Billing example
Prerequisite: You have purchased a Basic Edition resource plan with a maximum concurrency of 50,000 and a VUM quota of 30,000.
Example: In public cloud concurrent mode, you set the maximum concurrency for your stress testing scenario to 1,000. The test runs for 5 minutes. You do not change the log sample rate or use the IP extension feature.
The number of IPs used for this test is calculated as follows: Maximum concurrency / 500 (rounded up) = 1,000 / 500 = 2 IPs. The VUM consumption for this test is calculated as follows: Number of source IPs used × 500 concurrent users × Stress testing duration = 2 × 500 × 5 = 5,000 VUMs.
Resource plan deduction: This stress test consumed a total of 5,000 VUMs. Your Basic Edition resource plan has a remaining VUM quota of 25,000.
This billing example is for reference only. Your actual costs are based on the prices shown on the purchase page in the console.
Billing cycle
The system settles the VUMs consumed on the previous day at a fixed time each day. It then generates a bill and automatically deducts the amount from your resource plan's VUM quota. The actual settlement time may vary.
Purchase
After you activate PTS, navigate to the PTS purchase page. Select a resource plan type and a VUM quota. Then, select the quantity and click Buy Now. The actual price is shown on the purchase page.
When purchasing a PTS resource plan, you can specify its effective time:
Effective Immediately: The resource plan becomes effective right after purchase.
Effective at a Specified Time: The resource plan becomes effective at the time you specify.
Note: For products that allow you to specify an effective time, this time cannot be changed after purchase is complete. Confirm your requirements and plan carefully before proceeding.
Scenarios
PTS pay-as-you-go resource plans are suitable for short-term, high-concurrency stress tests. For events such as business promotions or pre-release stress testing, you can purchase a pay-as-you-go resource plan to support the required high concurrency.
For example, a video service provider that needs to run a sales promotion on a special day, such as a members-only sales day, can purchase a Premium Edition PTS resource plan to perform high-concurrency stress testing and ensure the stability of the promotion.
Usage notes
Before you start a stress test, ensure that your purchased resource plan has a sufficient VUM quota and is within its validity period.
VUMs are deducted from the resource plan based on consumption. You can purchase multiple plans, and they can be used concurrently within their validity periods.
If you purchase multiple resource plans, the system deducts VUMs from the plan that will expire first, provided the maximum concurrency of the plan is met.
Deduction order example:
User A buys a Basic Edition resource plan and then a Premium Edition resource plan. The Basic Edition plan expires before the Premium Edition plan. If User A runs a stress test with a maximum concurrency of 40,000, VUMs are deducted from the Basic Edition plan first. If User A runs a stress test with a maximum concurrency of 100,000, VUMs are deducted from the Premium Edition plan first.
User A buys a Premium Edition resource plan and then a Basic Edition resource plan. The Premium Edition plan expires before the Basic Edition plan. If User A runs a stress test with a maximum concurrency of 40,000, VUMs are deducted from the Premium Edition plan first.
If your stress test configuration (such as maximum concurrency, maximum RPS, or the number of specified IPs) exceeds the limits of your current resource plan but is within the limits for pay-as-you-go billing, the task is billed on a pay-as-you-go basis. These charges are not deducted from your resource plan. For more information about pay-as-you-go billing, see Pay-as-you-go (post-paid).
ImportantIf a resource plan has an insufficient VUM balance to cover the entire consumption of a stress test, the remaining VUMs in the plan are deducted first. The outstanding consumption is then billed using the pay-as-you-go (post-paid) method. For example, if a stress test consumes 500 VUMs and your resource plan has a balance of 100 VUMs, 100 VUMs are deducted from the plan, and the remaining 400 VUMs are billed on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Effects of exhausting the VUM quota
When the VUM quota of your resource plan is exhausted within its validity period, the system automatically switches to the pay-as-you-go (post-paid) billing method. For information about the effects of overdue payments with pay-as-you-go billing, see Overdue payments for pay-as-you-go. For more information about pay-as-you-go billing, see Pay-as-you-go (post-paid).
Effects of resource plan expiration
Any unused VUMs in an expired resource plan are forfeited. Before your resource plan expires, PTS sends you an expiration notification by email, text message, or internal message. Please take action promptly after you receive the notification.
You cannot unsubscribe from a resource plan to receive a refund for remaining resources after it expires.
View bills
You can view your overall spending on PTS in Expenses and Costs. For more information, see View bills.