+1 862 207 3288 Examples of Cloud System Failures
Abstract
Cloud System Failures. In the simplest definition, a cloud system can be defined as a virtual system that allows individuals and corporate entities to store and access files as well as software programs through the internet instead of their local hard drives on their computers (Botta et al., 2016). For the vast array of benefits, it offers, cloud computing has rapidly transitioned into a vital support system for all businesses, small and large alike. To further illuminate on this fact, the IDC predicts that over 60% of organizational software and infrastructural set up will be designed for cloud-based operations by the year 2020 (Ramachandra et al., (2017).
Examples of Cloud System Failures
The IDC also predicts the global spending on cloud systems to reach a record high 160 billion USD by the end of 2018, which shows just about how crucial businesses and individuals in the world see cloud systems services to be to their daily operations (Ramachandra et al., (2017). However, like all technological advancements, cloud computing has its share of downsides. The truth of the matter is the advantages brought through storing data and program files on the cloud such as data encryption, cost saving on data protection and reliability also results in loss of full control over the data introducing a new dimension to threats such as cybercrimes. The worst of them all, however, is cloud system failures as they result in crippling of business operations. This paper will, therefore, report on some of the significant cloud system failures and their causes to help prevent their reoccurrence in the future.
Examples of Cloud System Failures
One of the perks of using cloud computing is that it offloads businesses and individuals of the burden of network maintenance and data protection (Botta et al., 2016). However, cloud computing leaves the procurer of clouding services helpless and stranded during routine configurations and maintenance operations especially when an error occurs during the process leaving the businesses out and in the dark (Botta et al., 2016). This was the case in February 2017 when the Amazon Web Services – a cloud computing system under Amazon left its clients out and dysfunctional for over three hours (Hern, 2017).
Examples of Cloud System Failures
The outage affected thousands of clients in the U.S East region who were left in the dark for hours after they faced internet connectivity problems as reported by an official statement by the company after the incident (Hern, 2017). In the statement, the company confirmed the incident and stated that the outage was as a result of human error. It stated that the outage occurred when one of its employees was debugging a problem with its billing system when he accidentally shut down more servers than it was initially intended (Hern, 2017). This error resulted in thousands of clients who depended on these servers being denied access to the cloud-based services thus incurring losses as a result of the outage (Hern, 2017).
Amazon went ahead and apologized for this costly error and assured the public that it was going to implement measures in place to prevent a repeat of the error. One of these measures was that it was going make changes to the tool used to shut down servers during maintenance such that employees would no longer be able to shut down servers in such high magnitude as they would before (Hern, 2017).
Examples of Cloud System Failures
- Google’s Gmail Fail
Google is another fast-growing player in the cloud computing services industry evidenced by the millions of resources it invests in its data centers (Segal, 2011). However, in 2011, Google was confronted with one of its biggest scandals when more than 150, 000 Gmail users reported that they had lost their emails stored in the Gmail service. A sample of these users claimed that on logging in to their accounts, they found only empty slates, with no emails or folders. On raising of thus alarm, Google was quick to apologize to the public for thus costly error and promised to make the relevant system fixes to restore normalcy. Google, however, took four days to repair the issue, something that caused many inconveniences to the affected users, especially those that stored business information in the mailing system (Segal, 2011).
In a statement explaining the cause of the problem, Google vice president – Engineering department at the time Ben Treynor said software bugs on several duplicates of the affected data caused the error but called these bugs “rare cases” (Segal, 2011). To fix the problem, Google was forced to use physical backups that were made on tapes to restore the lost data.
Examples of Cloud System Failures
- Microsoft BPOS Outage
The Microsoft BPOS (Business Productivity Online Standard Suite) encountered a failure in May 2011 leaving businesses and their customers massively inconvenienced since the payment emails to customers would delay for up to 9 hours (Kunert, 2011). Microsoft conducted a fix to the problem only for it to recur after two days of the repair but this time it was the outgoing messages that incurred the delay. Additionally, some users experienced an error that prevented them from accessing their accounts from the Outlook portal (Kunert, 2011).
In a statement to respond to the issue, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of the time Dave Thompson apologized to the public for the inconveniences caused and attributed the delay and outages to system glitches and bugs that caused some problems including the sign-on issue (Kunert, 2011). To fix the problem, Microsoft fixed the bugs and introduced an updated BPOS that included a health dashboard that helps users monitor and report on the status of the website as it indicates when the site goes down (Kunert, 2011).
Examples of Cloud System Failures. References
Botta, A., De Donato, W., Persico, V., & Pescapé, A. (2016). Integration of cloud computing and internet of things: a survey. Future Generation Computer Systems, 56, 684-700.
Hern, A. (2017, March 01). How did an Amazon glitch leave people literally in the dark? Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/01/amazon-web-services-outage-smart-homes
Kunert, P. (2011, June 23). Microsoft BPOS biz-cloud hit by another outage. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/23/bpos_outage/
Ramachandra, G., Iftikhar, M., & Khan, F. A. (2017). A Comprehensive Survey on Security in Cloud Computing. Procedia Computer Science, 110, 465-472.
Segal, L. (2011, February 28). Google nukes thousands of Gmail accounts. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://money.cnn.com/2011/02/28/technology/gmail_outage/index.htm
