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+.. _datasource_aliyun:
+
+Alibaba Cloud (AliYun)
+**********************
+
+The ``AliYun`` datasource reads data from Alibaba Cloud ECS. Support is
+present in ``cloud-init`` since 0.7.9.
+
+Metadata service
+================
+
+The Alibaba Cloud metadata service is available at the well known URL
+:file:`http://100.100.100.200/`. For more information see Alibaba Cloud ECS
+on `metadata`_.
+
+Configuration
+=============
+
+The following configuration can be set for the datasource in system
+configuration (in :file:`/etc/cloud/cloud.cfg` or
+:file:`/etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/`).
+
+An example configuration with the default values is provided below:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+   datasource:
+     AliYun:
+       metadata_urls: ["http://100.100.100.200"]
+       timeout: 50
+       max_wait: 120
+
+Versions
+--------
+
+Like the EC2 metadata service, Alibaba Cloud's metadata service provides
+versioned data under specific paths. As of April 2018, there are only
+``2016-01-01`` and ``latest`` versions.
+
+It is expected that the dated version will maintain a stable interface but
+``latest`` may change content at a future date.
+
+``Cloud-init`` uses the ``2016-01-01`` version.
+
+You can list the versions available to your instance with:
+
+.. code-block:: shell-session
+
+   $ curl http://100.100.100.200/
+
+Example output:
+
+.. code-block::
+
+   2016-01-01
+   latest
+
+Metadata
+--------
+
+Instance metadata can be queried at
+:file:`http://100.100.100.200/2016-01-01/meta-data`:
+
+.. code-block:: shell-session
+
+   $ curl http://100.100.100.200/2016-01-01/meta-data
+
+Example output:
+
+.. code-block::
+
+   dns-conf/
+   eipv4
+   hostname
+   image-id
+   instance-id
+   instance/
+   mac
+   network-type
+   network/
+   ntp-conf/
+   owner-account-id
+   private-ipv4
+   public-keys/
+   region-id
+   serial-number
+   source-address
+   sub-private-ipv4-list
+   vpc-cidr-block
+   vpc-id
+
+Userdata
+--------
+
+If provided, user data will appear at
+:file:`http://100.100.100.200/2016-01-01/user-data`.
+If no user data is provided, this will return a 404.
+
+.. code-block:: shell-session
+
+   $ curl http://100.100.100.200/2016-01-01/user-data
+
+Example output:
+
+.. code-block::
+
+   #!/bin/sh
+   echo "Hello World."
+
+.. LINKS
+.. _metadata: https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/zh/faq-detail/49122.htm