PHOENIX — The Microsoft 365 outage that began Nov. 12 knocked out Outlook email and parts of Teams for users worldwide, and KTAR’s Data Doctors column says it is a reminder to plan for the next one.
Microsoft traced the problem to its server infrastructure, with no sign of a cyberattack. But Google, Apple, Amazon and other big companies also have occasional cloud outages that can lock people out of documents, photos, email or accounts.
Back up, don’t just sync. Services such as OneDrive, Google Drive and iCloud sync files across devices, but syncing is not a backup. If a file is deleted or corrupted, that change can spread everywhere. Keep a separate backup on an external drive or a dedicated backup service, and unplug the drive when not in use to guard against ransomware.
Keep key files offline. On Windows, right-click important OneDrive folders and choose “Always keep on this device.” On a Mac, choose “Keep Downloaded” for iCloud Drive folders. In Google Drive, turn on offline access in settings.
Save the essentials. Phones set to optimize storage may keep full-size photos only in the cloud. Turn on offline mode in webmail or save travel and insurance confirmations as PDFs.
Plan for sign-in problems. If you use “Sign in with” Microsoft, Google or Apple, an outage can block access to other sites. Store recovery codes somewhere outside the cloud, set up a phone number or offline authenticator app for recovery, and make sure your password manager works offline.
Have a backup contact method. A second email address with another provider helps, and important phone numbers should be saved outside your email.
Sources: KTAR News Data Doctors. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Rsparks3 / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
