Overview of Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) Offerings
Alibaba Cloud's Blockchain Service (BaaS) supports three major blockchain engines:
- Hyperledger Fabric (Enterprise-ready)
- Ant Blockchain (Commercialized)
- Quorum Enterprise Ethereum (Available for free trial)
This guide details the pricing models and technical specifications for Ant Blockchain and Hyperledger Fabric deployments.
Ant Blockchain Pricing Structure
Blockchain Instance (Primary Cost Component)
- Resource Type: Dedicated instance running blockchain platform with default 4 nodes
Features:
- Exclusive allocation of CPU/memory/storage/network
- Performance stability with isolated resources
- Pricing Model: Annual subscription
Enterprise Edition Pricing:
| Specification | Included Nodes | Storage per Node | Price (Annual) |
|--------------|----------------|-------------------|---------------|
| Enterprise | 4 | 6TB | $160,000 |
Hyperledger Fabric Pricing Model
Cost Component 1: Blockchain Network Instance
Two Instance Types:
- Consortium Instance (Created by operator)
- Organization Instance (Created by participants)
Pricing Table:
| Instance Type | Tier | Free Storage | Monthly Price |
|---------------------|---------------|--------------|--------------|
| Consortium (Testnet)| Quick Trial | 50GB | $623 |
| Consortium | Basic | 100GB | $1,078 |
| | Enterprise | 500GB | $5,254 |
| Organization | Basic | 100GB | $735 |
| | Enterprise | 500GB | $3,645 |
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Cost Component 2: Storage Expansion
- Storage Type: SSD-powered NAS
- Pricing Model: Pay-as-you-go ($0.34/GB/month)
- Auto-Scaling: Additional storage provisions automatically when free limit exceeded
Hourly Rate Calculation:
$0.000472/GB/hour ($0.34 ÷ 30 days ÷ 24 hours)
Key Considerations When Selecting Specifications
Participant Requirements:
- Independent nodes/ledgers require separate organization instances
- Shared resources reduce costs for non-critical participants
Performance Needs:
- Enterprise tier recommended for high-transaction environments
- Basic tier suitable for prototyping/testing
Budget Planning:
- Long-term deployments benefit from annual subscriptions
- Temporary projects may use monthly billing
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FAQ Section
Q: Can I switch between Basic and Enterprise tiers later?
A: Yes, instance upgrades/downgrades are supported through the BaaS console.
Q: Is the free trial available for Ant Blockchain?
A: Currently only Quorum Enterprise Ethereum offers free trials.
Q: How is storage billed during auto-scaling?
A: You're charged only for actual usage per hour, rounded to the nearest GB.
Q: What's included in the default 4 nodes of Ant Blockchain?
A: These are full validator nodes with consensus participation and ledger storage.
Q: Can multiple organizations share one instance?
A: Yes, but they'll share resources and administrative controls.