19/07/2024
Hey BFFs! You might have heard about the big Microsoft outage today that's caused quite a stir worldwide. From grounded flights to disrupted businesses to personal computers with the infamous blue screen of death, it's been a rough day for many. Sending my thoughts if you've been affected! 💙
Major outages like this one impact big cloud computing networks with very limited (but far from unprecedented) frequency. Perhaps you recall when half the internet was out just over a year ago or when the great Instagram outage of 2024 had us all frantically swiping to refresh our phones this past March. The major players here are Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform - nearly every web-connected service you use relies on one of these three networks (though Meta hosts their own for their services). These outages are related to problems with these big cloud computing services.
While only large enterprises may make the news, for small business owners, outages like these are important reminders of how crucial it is to have a solid backup plan when the tech you rely on stops working. Here are a few tips to keep your operations running smoothly during these hiccups:
1. Keep Local Copies: 💾 Save important documents and files locally on your computer or an external hard drive so you can access them without the internet.
2. Use Multiple Communication Channels: 📱 If your main communication tool goes down (like Gmail or Outlook), have a secondary method ready, such as a personal email or messaging app like WhatsApp or OpenPhone.
3. Manual Processes: 📝 Know how to manually perform any critical tasks if your automation tools (like Zapier) stop working. Keep a checklist handy!
4. Stay Informed: 📰 Follow service stats pages or social media accounts of the platforms you use to get real-time updates and support tips when they're down.
Let's stay proactive and prepared, BFFs! 💪🏼 If you need specific advice on handling these disruptions, send me a message or comment below! 👇🏼