From Indiatimes · TOI Tech Desk · · 3m
Microsoft Restores Services After Global Outage
Microsoft begins fixing Microsoft 365 outage after 130,000 users report problems.
In brief
Microsoft begins fixing Microsoft 365 outage after 130,000 users report problems. Microsoft has restored partial services for Microsoft 365 after a global outage affected nearly 130,000 users. Originally reported by Indiatimes.
Microsoft Outage Begins
Microsoft has begun restoring services after a widespread global outage disrupted access to its Microsoft 365 suite, including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and OneDrive.
130,000 Users Report Problems
Nearly 130,000 users worldwide reported problems at the peak, according to outage tracker Downdetector.
Users Report Access Issues
Users reported difficulties accessing Outlook, sending and receiving emails and loading inboxes.
Teams and Copilot Disruptions
Thousands also reported disruptions to Teams, Microsoft's AI assistant Copilot and other Microsoft 365 applications.
Server Stability Update
Microsoft said a portion of the affected servers had been returned to service and remained stable so far.
Traffic Shift to Alternatives
The company said it was shifting traffic to alternative routes to ease the disruption.
Limited Recovery Observed
Microsoft added that it had observed limited recovery after moving traffic and connections to alternative pathways wherever possible.
Streamlined Server Restoration
The company said it had also streamlined the process of bringing the remaining affected servers back online.
Server Unresponsiveness Risk
Microsoft cautioned that servers restored to service could become unresponsive again once they started receiving traffic.
Temporary Traffic Limits
In parallel, Microsoft said it was temporarily limiting which types of traffic can reach the affected infrastructure in some locations.
Server Configuration Issue
Microsoft said the elevated load was not being caused by an overall increase in traffic, but by the reduced availability of servers.
Server Health Check Failure
The company said several servers had become unexpectedly unavailable after failing automated health checks, shifting additional traffic onto the remaining infrastructure.
Server Recovery Process
Microsoft said it had validated an alternative health-check method on a subset of affected servers, allowing them to return to service.
Automated Restart Process
It then began applying the fix more widely and worked on an automated process to detect and restart unresponsive servers.
Configuration Updates Suspected
A review of recent changes identified configuration updates as a possible cause of the disruption, although the investigation was continuing.
Deployment Paused
Microsoft said it had paused deployments and configuration changes while examining whether recent updates were linked to the outage.
Core Process Overload
The company said a core process on the affected servers was becoming overwhelmed, causing them to stop responding.
Teams Recovery in North America
Earlier recovery measures had not provided the expected relief, prompting it to pursue additional ways to restore services.
Teams Partial Recovery
Microsoft had earlier reported that it had successfully restored issues affecting Teams in North America, although some users continued to experience connectivity problems.
No Definitive Cause
The company has not provided a definitive cause for the wider outage in the updates.
The short version
Microsoft has restored partial services for Microsoft 365 after a global outage affected nearly 130,000 users.
