Alibabacloud Cloudbackup Ecs File Backup Essential Edition
by @sdk-team
Alibaba Cloud ECS File Backup Essential Edition (ECS文件备份基础版). One-click activation, daily automatic backup, 30-day file recovery, 100 GiB free quota. Trigger...
clawhub install alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition📖 About This Skill
name: alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition description: | Alibaba Cloud ECS File Backup Essential Edition (ECS文件备份基础版). One-click activation, daily automatic backup, 30-day file recovery, 100 GiB free quota. Trigger words: ECS file backup, HBR essential edition, Cloud Backup essential, file deletion recovery, free backup quota, ECS data protection, lightweight backup, affordable ECS backup Redirect words: ECS database backup, ECS full-machine backup, full-machine clone, cross-region backup, cross-account backup, KMS encrypted backup
ECS File Backup Essential Edition - Operations & Viewing
Scenario Description
ECS File Backup Essential Edition (ECS文件备份基础版) is a basic backup product launched by Alibaba Cloud's Cloud Backup service (HBR) for ECS file scenarios, featuring one-click activation and zero-configuration setup.
Core Features
| Feature | Description | |---------|-------------| | Automatic Backup (自动备份) | Daily automatic backup with 30-day retention | | File Recovery (文件恢复) | Files accidentally deleted within 30 days can be recovered; supports file-level restoration | | Free Quota (免费额度) | 100 GiB permanent free block storage backup quota per account (shared across all regions) | | Low Maintenance (低运维) | One-click activation, zero configuration required, backup client auto-installed |
Recommended Use Cases
When user requirements match the following conditions, recommend ECS File Backup Essential Edition:
| Scenario | Description | |----------|-------------| | ECS File Data Protection | Need to protect/backup ECS file data and recover from accidental deletion | | Accept Daily Backup Policy | Accept once-daily backup with 30-day retention | | Cost-Effective | Affordable/free ECS data backup; 100 GiB permanent free quota per account (shared across all regions) | | Personal Websites/Blogs | Quick recovery from accidental deletion of images or config files | | Dev/Test Environments | Protection for code and configuration files | | Small Business Applications | Basic data protection needs with low maintenance cost |
Not-Recommended Scenarios & Alternatives
| Scenario | Reason | Alternative | |----------|--------|-------------| | RDS or Self-Managed Database Backup (数据库备份) | Database files are locked by the main process; backups may be inconsistent | For RDS, contact the RDS team; for MySQL/Oracle/SQL Server, use Cloud Backup Database Backup | | Cannot Install Backup Client (不接受安装备份客户端) | Backup client consumes ECS CPU and memory resources | Use ECS Snapshots (note: no file-level recovery) | | ECS Spec < 1C512MB | Specs too low, affecting backup performance | Use ECS Snapshots, or upgrade ECS specs first | | Full-Machine Clone/DR Failover (整机克隆/异地拉起) | Essential Edition does not support full-machine recovery | Use ECS Snapshots | | Cross-Region/Cross-Account Backup (跨地域/跨账号备份) | Essential Edition does not support cross-region or cross-account | Use Cloud Backup ECS File Backup Standard Edition (enterprise-grade) | | KMS-Encrypted Backup Data (KMS加密备份) | Essential Edition does not support KMS encryption | Use Cloud Backup ECS File Backup Standard Edition | | Custom Backup Policy (自定义备份策略) | Essential Edition is fixed at once-daily backup with 30-day retention | Use Cloud Backup ECS File Backup Standard Edition (customizable policy) | | Data Volume > 2 TB | Backup may not complete within 24 hours | Contact Cloud Backup technical support, or use Standard Edition |
Usage Limitations
| Limitation | Description | |------------|-------------| | Operating System | 32-bit operating systems not supported | | Network Type | Classic network (经典网络) ECS not supported | | Storage Type | Only block storage (块存储) supported; NAS/OSS and other network-mounted storage not supported | | Dependent Service | Requires Cloud Assistant (云助手) service (ECS purchased before Dec 2017 requires manual installation of Cloud Assistant Agent) | | ECS Spec | Recommended >= 1 vCPU, 512 MB memory for adequate backup performance | | Data Volume | Low priority: < 600 GB; High priority: < 2 TB |
Scenario Eligibility Check (Mandatory First Step)
> CRITICAL - Hard Gate: This is the first step before all operations, taking priority over installation checks, credential verification, and any workflow. > The agent MUST complete this check before executing any other step.
Decision Flow:
User requests ECS backup/restore
|
+-> Check each item in "Not-Recommended Scenarios & Alternatives"
| +-> Matches any not-recommended scenario -> Execute [HALT Flow]
| +-> No match -> Pass, continue to "Installation Requirements"
|
+-> Not-recommended scenario keywords:
- Database: MySQL/Oracle/SQL Server/PostgreSQL/MongoDB/Redis/database data directory
- Full-machine: full-machine recovery/DR failover/clone instance
- Cross-region/cross-account: remote backup/cross-account replication
- Custom policy: hourly backup/custom retention period
- Large data volume: data exceeds 2 TB
[HALT Flow] - Must execute when a not-recommended scenario is matched: 1. Stop immediately - Do NOT execute installation checks, credential verification, parameter confirmation, or any CLI command 2. Output warning to user - Explain why the current scenario is not suitable for ECS File Backup Essential Edition (cite the reason from "Not-Recommended Scenarios & Alternatives") 3. Recommend alternatives - Provide specific alternative products/features 4. End current task - After outputting the warning and alternatives, the agent MUST stop and NOT continue with any subsequent steps of this Skill
> Sole recovery condition: Only when the user proactively and explicitly states "I understand the risks and still want to use ECS File Backup Essential Edition" (or semantically equivalent), may the agent continue. > The following are NOT valid confirmations (agent must remain stopped): no reply; vague confirmations ("OK", "Continue", "Help me backup") without mentioning "ECS File Backup Essential Edition"; topic changes; asking about alternatives.
Installation Requirements (Mandatory Pre-check)
> CRITICAL: The agent MUST complete the following pre-checks before executing any core workflow.
Pre-check: Aliyun CLI >= 3.3.3 required
> Run aliyun version to verify >= 3.3.3. If not installed or version too low,
> run curl -fsSL https://aliyuncli.alicdn.com/setup.sh | bash to update,
> or see references/cli-installation-guide.md for installation instructions.
aliyun version
aliyun plugin update to ensure that any existing plugins on your local machine are always up-to-date.
[MUST] CLI User-Agent — Every aliyun CLI command invocation must include:
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Enable automatic plugin installation:
aliyun configure set --auto-plugin-install true
Pre-check: AI-Mode Configuration
[MUST] Enable AI-Mode — Run before any CLI invocation:aliyun configure ai-mode enable
aliyun configure ai-mode set-user-agent --user-agent "AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition"
aliyun configure ai-mode disable
Pre-check: aliyun-cli-hbr plugin >= 0.1.3 required
aliyun plugin list 2>/dev/null | grep aliyun-cli-hbr
If the plugin is not installed or the version is below 0.1.3, install/update:
aliyun plugin install --names aliyun-cli-hbr
> After plugin installation, HBR commands and parameter names use kebab-case naming convention (e.g., describe-backup-plans instead of DescribeBackupPlans).
Credential Verification
> Pre-check: Alibaba Cloud Credentials Required
>
> Security Rules:
> - NEVER print, echo, or output AK/SK values in any form (including partial fragments or masked forms)
> - NEVER expose any credential content in command-line arguments, logs, conversation output, or code comments
> - NEVER enter AK/SK directly in the command line
> - ONLY USE aliyun configure list to check credential status; NEVER echo the output of this command to the user (output may contain credential-related information); the agent should only use the output internally to determine whether credentials are valid
>
>
> aliyun configure list
> aliyun configure in the terminal to configure credentials
> 3. Re-run aliyun configure list to confirm successful configurationParameter Confirmation & Validation
> IMPORTANT: Parameter Confirmation - Before executing any command, all customizable parameters must be confirmed with the user. > Do not assume default values; explicit user confirmation is required. > If the user refuses to confirm or does not respond to the confirmation request, the agent MUST abort the current operation and NOT continue with subsequent steps.
> CRITICAL - Security Gate: Before embedding any parameter into a CLI command, the agent MUST validate all user-provided parameters against the validation regex in the table below. > On validation failure, the agent MUST refuse to execute the command, inform the user which parameter is invalid and what format is expected, and wait for the user to provide a valid value before re-validating.
| Parameter | Required/Optional | Description | Validation Regex | Example |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------|------------------|---------|
| REGION_ID | Required | Region of the ECS instance (ECS实例所在地域) | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+$ | cn-hangzhou |
| INSTANCE_ID | Required | ECS Instance ID (ECS实例ID) | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+$ | i-bp1abc123def456 |
| PLAN_ID | Required for some ops | Backup Plan ID (备份计划ID); needed for pause/resume/cancel | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+$ | plan-abc123 |
| VAULT_ID | Required for restore | Backup Vault ID (备份仓库ID); obtained via search-historical-snapshots | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+$ | v-0001xjb123 |
| SNAPSHOT_ID | Required for restore | Snapshot ID (备份版本ID); obtained via search-historical-snapshots | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+$ | s-0001abc123 |
| SNAPSHOT_HASH | Required for restore | Snapshot Hash (备份版本哈希值); obtained via search-historical-snapshots | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+$ | sh-abc123 |
| performanceLevel | Optional | Backup priority (备份优先级): L0 (default, data < 600 GB) or L1 (data 600 GB~2 TB) | ^(L0\|L1)$ | L0 |
| ConflictPolicy | Required for restore | File conflict policy (文件冲突策略): SKIP_THE_FILE (skip) or OVERWRITE_EXISTING (overwrite) | ^(SKIP_THE_FILE\|OVERWRITE_EXISTING)$ | SKIP_THE_FILE |
| CLIENT_TOKEN | Required for restore | Idempotency token (幂等令牌); agent-generated UUID, reuse on timeout retry | ^[a-zA-Z0-9-]{1,64}$ | 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000 |
| keep-latest-snapshots | Optional | Keep last backup version (保留最后一个备份版本): 1 (keep) or 0 (don't keep) | ^(0\|1)$ | 1 |
| SOURCE_PATH | Optional for restore | Source file path to restore (要恢复的源文件路径) | ^[a-zA-Z0-9/_.-]+$ | /home/data/file.txt |
| TARGET_PATH | Required for restore | Restore target directory (恢复目标目录); must already exist | ^[a-zA-Z0-9/_.-]+$ | /tmp/restore |
RAM Permissions
This Skill requires the permissions detailed in references/ram-policies.md.
Recommended system policy: AliyunHBRFullAccess
Core Workflows
> CRITICAL: Before executing any of the following workflows, the agent MUST complete all steps in "Scenario Eligibility Check" and "Installation Requirements (Mandatory Pre-check)". > If Aliyun CLI or the aliyun-cli-hbr plugin is not installed or does not meet version requirements, it MUST be installed/updated first before proceeding. > Note: All CLI operations below are idempotent and safe to retry.
1. Activate Backup
Activate ECS File Backup Essential Edition for a specified ECS instance.
Step 1: Enable Cloud Backup Service (first-time use)
aliyun hbr open-hbr-service \
--endpoint hbr.aliyuncs.com \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Step 2: Activate ECS Instance Backup
aliyun hbr create-backup-plan \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--instance-id \
--keep-latest-snapshots 1 \
--options '{"performanceLevel":""}' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Step 3: Verify Activation Status
> Activation and client installation are asynchronous operations; they typically take a few minutes to become ready.
Use the status determination logic from "5. View ECS Backup Status" to verify. Expected state progression: Preparing -> Ready -> Backing Up
2. Pause Backup (Suspend)
Pause the backup plan (备份计划) while retaining existing backup data; can be resumed later.
Step 1: Get Backup Plan ID
aliyun hbr describe-backup-plans \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--filters '[{"Key":"instanceId","Values":[""]}]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
PlanId from the response.Step 2: Pause Backup
aliyun hbr disable-backup-plan \
--region \
--plan-id \
--edition BASIC \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
3. Resume Backup
Resume a previously paused backup plan.
aliyun hbr enable-backup-plan \
--region \
--plan-id \
--edition BASIC \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
4. Cancel Backup (Delete)
> WARNING: This operation will permanently delete all backup data and is irreversible! User intent must be confirmed before execution. > If the user has not explicitly confirmed deletion, the agent MUST abort the operation and NOT continue.
Step 1: Get Backup Plan ID
aliyun hbr describe-backup-plans \
--region \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--edition BASIC \
--filters '[{"Key":"instanceId","Values":[""]}]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Step 2: Delete Backup Plan
aliyun hbr delete-backup-plan \
--region \
--plan-id \
--edition BASIC \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
5. View ECS Backup Status
Step 1: Query Backup Plan
aliyun hbr describe-backup-plans \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--filters '[{"Key":"instanceId","Values":[""]}]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Step 2: Query Latest Backup Job
aliyun hbr describe-backup-jobs-2 \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--filters '[{"Key":"instanceId","Values":[""]}]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
describe-backup-jobs-2 returns backup jobs sorted by creation time in descending order; the first record is the latest execution result.Status Determination Logic
describe-backup-plans finds no plan -> Not Activated (未激活)
describe-backup-plans finds a plan
+-> Disabled = true -> Paused (已暂停)
+-> Query describe-backup-jobs-2 for latest backup job
+-> No backup jobs -> Preparing (准备中)
+-> Has backup jobs (first record = latest result)
+-> COMPLETE/PARTIAL_COMPLETE -> Backup Normal (备份正常)
+-> RUNNING/QUEUED/CREATED -> Backing Up (备份中)
+-> CANCELED -> Canceled (已取消)
+-> FAILED/EXPIRED -> Backup Abnormal (备份异常); troubleshoot via describe-backup-clients
Auxiliary Query Commands
View backup client status:
aliyun hbr describe-backup-clients \
--region \
--client-type ECS_CLIENT \
--instance-ids '[""]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
View backup history (Snapshot list):
aliyun hbr search-historical-snapshots \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--query '[{"field":"instanceId","value":"","operation":"MATCH_TERM"}]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
6. View Free Quota & Capacity
aliyun hbr get-basic-statistics \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Key field: GlobalStatistics.ProtectedDataSize is the total block storage capacity of backed-up ECS instances (in bytes).
Free quota rules: 100 GiB per account (permanent, shared across all regions). Usage beyond the quota is billed on a pay-as-you-go basis; billing is based on the total block storage capacity mounted on backed-up ECS instances.
7. File Restore
aliyun hbr create-restore-job \
--region \
--restore-type ECS_FILE \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--vault-id \
--snapshot-id \
--snapshot-hash \
--include '[""]' \
--target-instance-id \
--target-path \
--options '{"ConflictPolicy":""}' \
--client-token \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
> VaultId, SnapshotId, and SnapshotHash can be obtained via search-historical-snapshots.
> Omitting --include restores all files in the snapshot.
> TargetPath must be an existing directory on the target ECS instance; otherwise the restore job will report a TARGET_NOT_EXIST error.
> Using the OVERWRITE_EXISTING policy will overwrite files with the same name at the target path; explicit user confirmation is required before execution. If the user has not confirmed, the agent MUST abort the restore operation.
> Use --client-token to ensure idempotency; the agent should generate a UUID as the ClientToken and reuse the same token on timeout retries to prevent duplicate restore jobs.
View Restore Progress
aliyun hbr describe-restore-jobs-2 \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--restore-type ECS_FILE \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
8. Modify Scheduled Backup Time
Step 1: Get Backup Plan ID
aliyun hbr describe-backup-plans \
--region \
--edition BASIC \
--source-type ECS_FILE \
--filters '[{"Key":"instanceId","Values":[""]}]' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
Step 2: Update Backup Schedule
aliyun hbr update-backup-plan \
--region \
--plan-id \
--edition BASIC \
--schedule 'I||P1D' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
I||P1D , where start_timestamp is a Unix timestamp in seconds, and P1D means once per day (fixed for Essential Edition).9. Toggle Keep-Last-Snapshot
When enabled, even if all backup versions exceed the retention period, the system will retain the last version without deleting it.
aliyun hbr update-backup-plan \
--region \
--plan-id \
--edition BASIC \
--keep-latest-snapshots <0_OR_1> \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
1 = keep the last backup version (recommended); 0 = do not keep; all backup points older than 30 days will be automatically deleted.10. Adjust Backup Execution Priority
aliyun hbr update-backup-plan \
--region \
--plan-id \
--edition BASIC \
--options '{"performanceLevel":""}' \
--read-timeout 60 \
--user-agent AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cloudbackup-ecs-file-backup-essential-edition
performanceLevel in the Parameter Confirmation table for valid values; detailed use cases are described in references/related-apis.md.Verification
See references/verification-method.md for details.
References
| Document | Link | |----------|------| | CLI Installation Guide | references/cli-installation-guide.md | | API & CLI Command Reference | references/related-apis.md | | RAM Permission Policies | references/ram-policies.md | | Verification Methods | references/verification-method.md | | Official User Guide | ECS File Backup Essential Edition | | Cloud Backup API Docs | HBR API Reference |