Q: What the billing mode does ZOS support?

A： ZOS supports two billing modes: As-per-use (post-paid) billing and resource package (pre-paid).

Pay as per use: Billing as per use according to billing items (including storage capacity, request, and traffic) is suitable for scenarios with uncertain business usage.

Resource package refers to a preferential prepaid resource package for billing items. Billing items (including storage capacity, request, and traffic) shall be prepaid and deducted per use. This billing mode is suitable for scenarios with relatively stable business usage. Compared with billing as per use, billing by resource package is more favorable.

Q: What are the billing items for ZOS?

A： Standard storage has three billing items, including storage space charge, traffic charge, and request charge. Different from standard storage, data retrieval is charged for IA storage and archive storage.

Charge for storage capacity: That is, the storage space charge is billed as per use, and the unit price for storage space charge varies with storage type.

Traffic charges: Traffic refers to the cumulative data traffic generated when accessing the ZOS. Traffic charges include the Internet outbound traffic charge generated by calling or downloading stored data and outbound traffic charge generated by CDN retrieval and cross-region replication. Users are charged according to actually used traffic.

Request charges: Request charges are calculated based on the number of request instructions sent to the ZOS. In fact, the number of requests is calculated every time the API is called.

Data retrieval charge: When accessing IA and archive storage objects, additional data retrieval costs may be incurred according to the size of the objects. IA storage is calculated based on data volume read on the server side, and archive storage is calculated based on unfrozen data volume. This charge will be incurred regardless of access through Intranet and Internet. If you access from the Internet, this charge will also be included in the Internet outbound traffic charge.

Q: Can the billing mode for ZOS be changed? How to switch from billing as per use to billing by resource package?

A： The billing mode needs no manual modification. Billing by resource package will be given the priority if it is available under your account, and billing as per use comes into effect if billing by resource package is unavailable.

Q: Can the arrears that have already been incurred be deducted by purchasing a resource package?

A： No. The expenses incurred can only be deducted from your purchased resource package. If your resource usage in the current month exceeds the quota of your purchased resource package, the billing as per use will automatically come into effect. The generated resource usage cannot be deducted from a newly purchased resource package.

Q: Is the specification of a resource package the available quota in each month or the total available quota within the validity period?

A: The specification of a resource package refers to the quota that can be deducted every month. If the monthly usage exceeds the quota of the purchased resource package, the billing model will automatically switch to pay-per-use. If you purchase two resource packages with the same validity period at a time, the specifications are superimposed, and your monthly resource usage will be deducted from the total quota of the two resource packages.

Q: Will the unused resource quota in the current month be settled and then carried over to the next month?

A: The unused resource quota in the current month will not be carried over to the next month. Instead, your resource quota will be cleared on a order cycle basis, that is, at 24:00:00 on the same date of purchase in each month.

Q: Can the ZOS Console access or download files after the service is deactivated due to arrears?

A: ZOS will be automatically deactivated and you cannot read data from or write data into the ZOS when you are in arrears. Your resources in the storage space will continue to be charged and outstanding arrears will accumulate. If you make up your arrears within 15 days, the service will be automatically activated.

When your arrears is outstanding for more than 15 days, you will be deemed to have voluntarily deactivated the service, and all the data you store in the ZOS system will be destroyed and cannot be restored. Therefore, please keep an eye on your account balance and renew your subscription in time to ensure that your service will not be affected.

If you no longer use the ZOS, please delete your data stored in the ZOS in time.

Q: Will ZOS be charged immediately after it is activated?

A: Your ZOS will not be charged immediately after it is activated. You will be charged only when you start using it.

Q: Is there a charge for uploading objects to ZOS?

A： The traffic generated when uploading objects will not be charged, but the storage space charge will be calculated according to the size of objects. A request that is generated will be charged. Charges may be incurred for outbound traffic when you access or download objects over the Internet.

Q: What are the costs of accessing ZOS through URL?

A: Charges may be incurred for outbound traffic and requests over the Internet. If you have activated CDN and accessed data through CDN domain name, there will be CDN traffic charges and CDN retrieval traffic charges, which are currently included in the Internet outbound traffic charges.

Zettabyte Object Storage

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Billing