Google Cloud’s so-called uninterruptible power supplies caused a six-hour interruption
Google has admitted that a six-hour outage at its cloud region was due to its uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) failing to kick in when needed. This incident began on March 29th, affecting over 20 services in the us-east5-c zone, primarily located in Columbus, Ohio.
Key Points
- The outage stemmed from a critical battery failure in Google’s UPS, which failed to provide power during an electricity outage.
- The incident led to degraded service or complete unavailability for multiple Google Cloud services in the us-east5-c zone.
- Engineers had to bypass the UPS to restore power, with generators coming online nearly two hours after the power loss was detected.
- Google has committed to audits and improvements to their power systems to prevent similar issues in the future.
- Regular testing of disaster recovery infrastructure is critical for all organisations, as even large providers like Google can experience significant outages.
Why should I read this?
This article is a must-read for anyone relying on cloud services for business continuity. Google’s missteps illustrate that even the giants of technology can stumble, shedding light on the importance of robust disaster recovery plans. Stay informed and ensure your own strategies are tested and ready!