Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform suffered significant service disruptions Saturday after multiple undersea cables were deliberately cut in the Red Sea, causing widespread latency issues for enterprises and organizations across multiple continents.
Azure Outage Impacts Global Cloud Services
Microsoft confirmed the Azure outage through official status updates, noting increased latency particularly affecting traffic routing through Middle Eastern, Asian, and European networks. Consequently, businesses relying on Azure services experienced performance degradation. The company immediately initiated traffic rerouting procedures to minimize customer impact while repair operations commenced.
Red Sea Cable Infrastructure Damage
The severed undersea cables represent critical internet infrastructure connecting multiple regions. Microsoft acknowledged the complexity of underwater repairs, stating: “Undersea fiber cuts can take time to repair, as such we will continuously monitor, rebalance, and optimize routing to reduce customer impact in the meantime.” Network monitoring organization NetBlocks confirmed the incident affected internet connectivity in several countries including India and Pakistan.
Response and Resolution Timeline
Microsoft’s engineering teams worked throughout Saturday to address the Azure outage. By evening, the company reported resolution of detectable Azure issues. However, the broader internet connectivity problems persisted due to the physical cable damage. The incident highlights the vulnerability of global internet infrastructure to physical disruptions in strategic maritime channels.
Geopolitical Context and Denials
While Microsoft did not attribute responsibility for the cable cuts, the Associated Press reported Yemen’s Houthi rebels had previously denied targeting underwater communications infrastructure as part of their Red Sea operations. The location of the damage suggests deliberate targeting rather than accidental damage from shipping or natural causes.
Enterprise Cloud Reliability Concerns
This Azure outage underscores the inherent risks of depending on centralized cloud infrastructure. Businesses must consider redundancy measures and disaster recovery planning when utilizing cloud services for critical operations. Microsoft and other cloud providers typically maintain multiple redundant pathways, but concentrated physical infrastructure damage can still cause significant disruptions.
FAQs
What caused the Azure outage?
The outage resulted from multiple undersea internet cables being cut in the Red Sea, affecting traffic routing through the region.
How long did the Azure disruption last?
Microsoft detected and addressed the Azure-specific issues within hours, but broader internet connectivity problems persisted due to physical cable damage.
Which regions were most affected?
Middle Eastern, Asian, and European networks experienced the most significant latency and connectivity issues.
Has this happened before?
Undersea cable damage occurs periodically, but deliberate cutting of multiple cables represents a more severe and unusual incident.
What measures prevent future occurrences?
Cloud providers use multiple redundant pathways and rapid traffic rerouting capabilities, though physical infrastructure repairs remain time-consuming.
Were other services besides Azure affected?
Yes, NetBlocks reported degraded internet connectivity across multiple countries and services due to the cable damage.
