Johannesburg, South Africa – A widespread Microsoft Azure outage caused chaos online earlier this week, impacting major websites and services globally, including some used right here in South Africa. The outage, attributed to "DNS issues," left users unable to access essential services, highlighting the internet's reliance on cloud infrastructure.
What Went Down?
Reports flooded in on Wednesday as websites for Heathrow Airport, NatWest bank, and even the popular game Minecraft experienced significant disruptions. Downdetector reported thousands of issues across various websites worldwide. Microsoft confirmed that some Microsoft 365 users also faced delays with Outlook and other services.
The root cause was identified as "DNS issues," the same culprit behind a recent Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage. This raises concerns about the vulnerability of critical internet infrastructure to single points of failure.
Impact in South Africa?
While specific South African websites weren't explicitly named in initial reports, the global nature of the Azure outage suggests potential disruptions to local businesses and services relying on the platform. Many South African companies utilise Azure for their cloud computing needs, meaning the impact could have been significant.
How Was it Resolved?
Microsoft stated that it restored a prior update, bringing many of the affected websites back online by late Wednesday. However, the incident underscores the importance of robust backup systems and disaster recovery plans for businesses of all sizes.
Lessons Learned
This outage, following closely on the heels of the AWS incident, serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of relying on centralized cloud services. Consumer watchdogs emphasize the need for businesses to keep customers informed during such disruptions and to compensate those affected. Customers are advised to keep records of any failed transactions or delayed payments to support potential claims.
What to do if you were affected:
- Contact the relevant company to explain the situation if you missed a bill.
- Keep records of any failed or delayed payments.
- Consider diversifying your cloud service providers.
The incident highlights the need for greater resilience and redundancy in internet infrastructure to prevent future widespread disruptions.