TECH Massive AWS outage

[Haybails]

Yeah, see, this is something people outside of IT may not understand, when Amazon Web Services ("AWS") has issues it affects so much more than just Amazon; many of which (to the end user) appear to have nothing to do with Amazon. One of the reasons why I (personally) never liked the whole 'cloud' concept. But, these days, saying anything against cloud services in an IT meeting is like . . . well . . . like saying something against "The Jab". People look at you like, "Are you even right in the head?!"

HB

 

[nomifyle]

This kind of outage stuff is exactly why I always insist on a paper bill. "They" want people to go completely digital, but as much as possible I refuse. yeah, go paper less and help save the planet, BS, horse hockey.

Judy

 

[ShadowMan]

K.I.S.S.

 

[Slydersan]

Yeah, see, this is something people outside of IT may not understand, when Amazon Web Services ("AWS") has issues it affects so much more than just Amazon; many of which (to the end user) appear to have nothing to do with Amazon. One of the reasons why I (personally) never liked the whole 'cloud' concept. But, these days, saying anything against cloud services in an IT meeting is like . . . well . . . like saying something against "The Jab". People look at you like, "Are you even right in the head?!"

HB

I'm an IT guy ...and I have the t-shirt (literally) that says "There is no 'Cloud'. It's just someone else's computer."

 

[cyberiot]

Alexa couldn't access news content or Amazon music this afternoon. She had no problem with third-party providers like TuneIn Radio, though.

I'd call that progress.

The following article explains why Chez Cyberiot, for the most part, will remain "dumb." Whaddaya mean you can't get in your house because the app is down?!? I took a bit of gas here awhile back for ripping out my Ring doorbell, but I haven't regretted the decision for a moment. As to my Alexa, she is a toy. She reads me the headlines, tells me the weather, times how long I steam the rice, and plays a little music. The only hardware she operates are lamps in a couple rooms that don't have light switches by the door.


Bloomberg
How Amazon Outage Left Smart Homes Not So Smart After All
Isabella Steger - Yesterday 9:55 PM


(Bloomberg) -- The outage at Amazon.com Inc.’s cloud-computing arm left thousands of people in the U.S. without working fridges, roombas and doorbells, highlighting just how reliant people have become on the company as the Internet of Things proliferates across homes.

The disruption, which began at about 10 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday, upended package deliveries, took down major streaming services, and prevented people from getting into Walt Disney Co.’s parks.

Affected Amazon services included the voice assistant Alexa and Ring smart-doorbell unit. Irate device users tweeted their frustrations to Ring’s official account, with many complaining that they spent time rebooting or reinstalling their apps and devices before finding out on Twitter that there was a general Amazon Web Services outage. Multiple Ring users even said they weren’t able to get into their homes without access to the phone app, which was down.

Others said they weren’t able to turn on their Christmas lights.

Smart lightbulbs stopped responding to voice commands, many people reported.

Basic household chores also become impossible for some.

The outage prompted people to reflect on the pitfalls of having a “smart” home that’s overly dependent on not only the internet, but one company in particular -- while those with “dumb” homes gloated that their fridges and light switches were working just fine.

Several of the affected AWS operations were on the East Coast. AWS said about nine hours later that it had resolved the network device issues that led to the outage.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

Link:

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[cyberiot]

This kind of outage stuff is exactly why I always insist on a paper bill. "They" want people to go completely digital, but as much as possible I refuse. yeah, go paper less and help save the planet, BS, horse hockey.

Judy

Tell 'em that, when you've tended to business, you shred the bill and use it as "brown" in your compost. Poof! Planet saved!

 

[summerthyme]

Tell 'em that, when you've tended to business, you shred the bill and use it as "brown" in your compost. Poof! Planet saved!

I shred everything and use it for chicken bedding. Perfect security!

Summerthyme

 

[Mark D]

… Multiple Ring users even said they weren’t able to get into their homes without access to the phone app, which was down.

Others said they weren’t able to turn on their Christmas lights.

Smart lightbulbs stopped responding to voice commands, many people reported.

Basic household chores also become impossible for some...

This is the height of insanity.

Question is, will anyone wake up as a result of the disruption?

 

[intothatgoodnight]

… Multiple Ring users even said they weren’t able to get into their homes without access to the phone app, which was down.

Others said they weren’t able to turn on their Christmas lights.

Smart lightbulbs stopped responding to voice commands, many people reported.

Basic household chores also become impossible for some...

This is the height of insanity.

Question is, will anyone wake up as a result of the disruption?

How do these "automated" folks handle a power outage at their home/neighborhood?

Still cannot enter, presumably?

Analog - the other important food group - It Just Works®


intothegoodnight

 

[Kris Gandillon]

This is the height of insanity.

Question is, will anyone wake up as a result of the disruption?

I have a totally "smart home". But EVERYTHING important still works manually as well. Lights, garage door, door bell, locks, etc, yea, you might not be able to TELL them what to do or control them from your phone but they work manually just like they always did.

 

[rob0126]

AWS seems to be a backbone to alot of businesses and govt.

On purpose of course.

 

[cyberiot]

I have a totally "smart home". But EVERYTHING important still works manually as well. Lights, garage door, door bell, locks, etc, yea, you might not be able to TELL them what to do or control them from your phone but they work manually just like they always did.

And this is how it's properly done. Unfortunately, not everyone knows that.

 

[Meemur]

Everything worked today.

I had several quick "hall discussions" with TPTB. Basically, nothing is going to change, unless the outages become more frequent or lengthy. Yes, it's cheaper to piggy-back on someone's technology than to own ours outright.

I suppose that I should care, but if my jobs end up going away due to hackers, I have other options that have zero to do with technology. I'm getting older and tired: these battles aren't worth fighting.

So glad that I'm not starting a career in 2021!

 

[cowboy]

Social Security's help lines were down Monday afternoon.

 

[justme]

Regarding AWS last night... Usually my fire tablet will go to sleep after a short time. Last night it didn't so I closed the cover. It went to sleep. A few minutes later I heard screaming in the room. I looked over and could see that the tablet was on even though the cover was closed. I jumped out of bed to check it out. The tablet was playing some Amazon prime horror movie. I powered the tablet down completely. Ten minutes later it came back on with Alexa loudly asking "are you there? Hello. Are you there?" My tablet has a demon. I put it in another room.

I would have crapped myself.

 

[Tesss]

I miss the "dial" thermostat we had when I was growing up. Turned it up when you got up in am and turned it down when you went to bed! If I so much as look at the low high tech one in the hall, it takes an act of congress and a degree in computer science just to reset the durn thing. Nope no Alexa simply change the heater!

Now we have to have a " how to guide sheet" just to change channels on TV. 3000 channels with mostly crap! Oh Santa Baby throw in a big old Buick station wagon. Enough room for kids, dogs, luggage, lunch meat sandwiches, cooler and you had yourself a vacation. Some lucky kids got to sit in back to see where they had been.. I was always short so I didn't have to "step up" 2 feet to get into the seat! I liked the good ole days. Of course, gas was 25 cents a gallon. Thank's to Biden and Wicker, we may be hiding under our desks to hide from a nuclear war with Russia.

 

[psychgirl]

Social Security's help lines were down Monday afternoon.

Soooo THATS why, when a friend of mine just got a constant busy signal when calling SS?

(She was trying to get some Medicare questions answered but couldn’t get through, so she finally did the extremely tedious task of going through their website to do that.... pages and pages long, password and verify codes over and over ...it’s no wonder people get sick of technology)

 

[psychgirl]

Regarding AWS last night... Usually my fire tablet will go to sleep after a short time. Last night it didn't so I closed the cover. It went to sleep. A few minutes later I heard screaming in the room. I looked over and could see that the tablet was on even though the cover was closed. I jumped out of bed to check it out. The tablet was playing some Amazon prime horror movie. I powered the tablet down completely. Ten minutes later it came back on with Alexa loudly asking "are you there? Hello. Are you there?" My tablet has a demon. I put it in another room.

Good Lord!!!
I’d put it in another HOUSE!

 

[psychgirl]

This kind of outage stuff is exactly why I always insist on a paper bill. "They" want people to go completely digital, but as much as possible I refuse. yeah, go paper less and help save the planet, BS, horse hockey.

Judy

My hubby is a “paper receipt person” too and so am I, to an extent.
I pay my doctor bills on their patient portal but that’s about it.
He pays everything with paper checks, drives them all batcrap crazy too.
He says it’s better to keep track, doesn’t want to risk any online sketchiness, and definitely NO automatic bill pay

 

[RememberGoliad]

I would have crapped myself.

Then, after getting cleaned up, you could brag that your butt's been wiped?

 

[Redcat]

When we had the new furnace put in 3 years ago, they asked if I wanted a new thermostat. Oh heck no. I still have the dial one and it works perfectly. If I set it at 67, the house is 67. Why change?

And a few years ago my Amazon account was hacked. I ended up closing that cc and getting a new one. Amazon did end up reversing the charges made. But since then I only use Amazon gift cards that I get at the CVS (I opened a whole new Amazon account - no wonder I have so many email addresses). No more "attached cc" at Amazon or Walmart.com (or any online store) I just use gift cards or Paypal.

 

[Meemur]

Good Lord!!!
I’d put it in another HOUSE!

Seriously, I'd put it in the car at that point.

 

[Meemur]

My hubby is a “paper receipt person” too and so am I, to an extent.
I pay my doctor bills on their patient portal but that’s about it.
He pays everything with paper checks, drives them all batcrap crazy too.
He says it’s better to keep track, doesn’t want to risk any online sketchiness, and definitely NO automatic bill pay

I was, too. I was dragged, kicking and screaming, into 2020 when the last of the bill-paying kiosks closed. Snail mail was taking too long (resulting in late fees!) so I do online bill paying, now, but it isn't automatic.

I have mixed feelings. I liked walking downtown and paying my bills in cash at the utility company and such. On the other hand, when it was windy and -5, it was nice not to have to go outside.

 

[nomifyle]

I was, too. I was dragged, kicking and screaming, into 2020 when the last of the bill-paying kiosks closed. Snail mail was taking too long (resulting in late fees!) so I do online bill paying, now, but it isn't automatic.

I have mixed feelings. I liked walking downtown and paying my bills in cash at the utility company and such. On the other hand, when it was windy and -5, it was nice not to have to go outside.

While I do want paper bills, I do pay on line and before that I paid by phone. As you said too many late fees for it not getting there on time or them not recording the payment when they got it .

I don't shred, but I did before I moved to the woods. Now it all goes in the burn barrel or it could go in the wood stove, the burn barrel is easier. My mother used to burn hers in the fire place.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[justme]

Then, after getting cleaned up, you could brag that your butt's been wiped?

Justme for pResident 2024.