A Nightmare

The Microsoft breakdown, however transitory, gave a real-world example of a digital disconnect. Millions were unable to access email, cloud storage, and other crucial tools, disrupting services worldwide that resembled the sense of powerlessness depicted in Julia Robets’ film Leave the World Behind.

The disruption affected corporate offices, educational institutions, health care providers, airlines, banks, and government agencies. Businesses reliant on Microsoft’s cloud services had to contend with a break in operations. The financial sector, too, reported disruptions, with trading activities slowing down.

Microsoft CEO Satya Narayana Nadella, in a statement on X, said, “Yesterday, CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally. We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers with technical guidance and support to bring their systems back online safely.”

Deliberate action by bad actors

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal took to X and spoke about the Microsoft outage issue, calling it ‘momentary with no deliberate intent to cause harm.’ While it can occur occasionally for any company, he also added, “But it represents an outcome that could also occur due to deliberate action by bad actors and intentions. And since 80% of our data is stored outside India, we won’t be able to do anything. The government needs to recognise the risk of our data residing globally and bring more stringent data localisation norms and action to address these risks.”

Disrupted, delayed, cancelled

Prominent voices in the tech community also weighed in on the situation. Nandini Sharma, a tech entrepreneur, wrote, “Today’s Microsoft outage is a wake-up call for all businesses. We need diversified and robust backup systems. Our reliance on a single tech provider is risky. #MicrosoftDown #TechLessons” Her post sparked a broader discussion about the need for resilience in our digital infrastructure.

The tourism industry also suffered. Vandana Agarwal, owner, Radisson Blu Hotel, said, “With our systems down, hotel check-ins were significantly delayed, causing a ripple effect throughout our operations. We were left with unexpected inventory and a backlog that disrupted our entire schedule. When technology fails, the impact can be incredibly caustic, affecting not only our business processes but also the guest experience. The situation underscored the fragility of our reliance on technology and the urgent need for robust backup plans to manage such crises.”

The Scuttle

Vishal Thapa, head of public relations and communications at Automative Manufacturers Pvt Limited, lives in Hyderabad with his family and intended to travel to Dehradun on Friday to prepare a surprise 75th birthday party for his father, who turns 75 on Friday. “I spent a month meticulously arranging this surprise party. I organised everything from Hyderabad and quietly invited family and friends. I made sure my father was unaware of the celebration. Upon discovering earlier on Friday that some airlines were facing difficulties, I was unaware that it was a widespread problem. The airline initially delayed my Friday flight by 2 hours before cancelling it. We couldn’t discover an alternative because our airline’s website didn’t offer any other flights for the next day. Finally, we had to book on another airline for Saturday, which unfortunately cost us a lot of money. Hope to surprise my father by organising Sunday celebrations.”

Zoom Down

Suresh Reddy, an IT professional from Bengaluru, found himself unable to access critical work documents stored on OneDrive. “This outage has been a nightmare. I had important presentations lined up, and now everything is delayed. We really need better backup solutions,” he said. Similarly, Priya Menon, a Chennai-based teacher, expressed her frustration: “Classes were disrupted because we couldn’t access Teams. It’s chaotic and stressful, especially for students preparing for exams.”

Priya Mehta, a working mother, shared her displeasure, saying, “The glitch was a harsh reminder of how integrated technology is in our daily lives. As a working mother, managing office work and kids’ online classes became chaotic. It’s crucial for us to push for more reliable tech solutions that can withstand such failures.”

A stark reminder

Dr Hari Mani, an intensive care expert based in the US and India, said, “As India continues its journey towards becoming a digital powerhouse, this is a lesson on the need for preparedness and adaptability.

Dr Aswin Chandarr, author of The Inevitable AI: The Art of Growth With Generative Intelligence, says, “Any IT system, however sophisticated it can be, will be prone to malfunctions. But this should not be allowed to paralyse a huge portion of our economy. This shows the danger of reliance on a single source of technology on a global scale. The complete immunity from this disruption in China shows the benefits of self-sufficiency in homegrown technology and diversity. This should serve as a stark warning, especially for India aspiring to be a top global power, to the threat of being crippled down even due to an unintentional human error.”

Shruti Vinodhraj, Member of the TN Animal Welfare Board, said, “Conducting rescue work for animals during the crisis was incredibly challenging. With our systems down, we were left without access to maps, making it nearly impossible to navigate and locate animals in need. Tragically, many animals perished in dire situations. A single tech glitch not only hindered our rescue efforts but also prevented numerous other humanitarian works. The experience highlights the critical need for reliable technology in rescue operations and the heartbreaking consequences when it fails.”

Tech experts suggested several measures

Firstly, businesses should consider multi-cloud strategies, where services are spread across different cloud providers, reducing dependency on any single platform.

Secondly, regular audits and stress tests of digital infrastructure can help identify and rectify vulnerabilities.

Lastly, investment in local tech ecosystems and innovations can reduce reliance on global tech giants and enhance domestic capabilities.

The glitch prompted reflections on a national scale. Minister of IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad, commented, “India’s rapid digital transformation has been a double-edged sword. While we’ve made significant strides, incidents like the Microsoft outage reveal our Achilles’ heel. It’s imperative for policymakers to develop frameworks that ensure operational continuity amidst such tech failures.”

The incident quickly became a trending topic on social media, with the hashtag #MicrosoftDown dominating. Users from all walks of life shared their experiences and frustrations. Rajesh Kumar, a financial analyst, tweeted, “Never realised how dependent we are on technology until today. The Microsoft glitch has thrown my entire day off schedule. It's time to rethink our backup plans. #TechDependency”