Azure Recovers After Outage Disrupts Microsoft 365, Xbox, and Minecraft
Microsoft’s Azure cloud service has experienced a significant outage affecting vital applications and services, including Microsoft 365, Xbox, and Minecraft. Users began reporting issues around 12 PM Eastern Time, and the Azure status page confirmed that Microsoft first identified technical difficulties at that same time.
Details of the Azure Outage
By 3:57 PM ET, Microsoft announced it was implementing a ‘last known good configuration’ to restore services. Initial improvements were reported as customers began to see signs of recovery. The company is actively rerouting traffic through operational nodes, aiming for a complete recovery by 6:20 PM ET (23:20 UTC).
User Impact
During the outage, numerous users expressed frustrations on Reddit, particularly regarding difficulties accessing the Game Pass feature on Xbox consoles. Additionally, access to Microsoft’s productivity and enterprise applications was limited. Other impacted platforms included Microsoft support pages and several airline websites.
Microsoft’s Response and Industry Comparison
A Microsoft spokesperson addressed the disruption, stating, “We are working to address an issue affecting Azure Front Door that is impacting the availability of some services.” Customers have been advised to keep checking their Service Health Alerts for ongoing updates.
In comparison, this disruption is relatively minor when evaluated against a recent Amazon Web Services outage, which caused extended downtime for various popular services. Microsoft’s quick efforts aim to ensure that users return to seamless service as soon as possible.
Timeline of Events
- 12:00 PM ET: First reports of outage and technical issues confirmed by Azure status page.
- 3:57 PM ET: Azure began restoring services using the ‘last known good configuration.’
- 6:20 PM ET: Full recovery expected.
As Azure continues to improve its service reliability, customers are encouraged to stay informed through official updates on the Azure status page. El-Balad will provide ongoing coverage of this situation as it develops.
