Azure Outage Hits Microsoft Cloud After Undersea Cables Cut in Red Sea

Microsoft Azure Affected After Undersea Cables Cut in Red Sea Microsoft reported Saturday that its Azure cloud platform experienced increased latency due to multiple undersea cables being cut in the Red Sea, affecting traffic going through the Middle East or ending in Asia or Europe. The company stated it was working to minimize customer impact. According to a status update from Microsoft, the affected areas include clients using Azure services for data transfer and storage between regions. "We are continuously monitoring, rebalancing, and optimizing routing to reduce customer impact," the statement said. By Saturday evening, Microsoft reported no longer detecting any issues with its Azure platform. The incident highlights the importance of undersea cables in global connectivity. These fiber-optic cables carry vast amounts of data across oceans, connecting major internet hubs worldwide. The Red Sea is a critical route for these cables, with several major operators having laid their lines through this region. Microsoft's statement did not specify who was responsible for cutting the cables or why. However, undersea cable cuts are known to be caused by various factors, including ship collisions, fishing nets, and even intentional damage. The incident serves as a reminder of the fragility of global connectivity infrastructure. "Undersea fiber-optic cables are critical components of modern communication networks," said Dr. Maria Rodriguez, an expert in telecommunications at the University of California, Berkeley. "Incidents like this underscore the need for robust backup systems and regular maintenance to ensure uninterrupted service." Microsoft's Azure platform has been affected by previous undersea cable cuts. In 2019, a similar incident caused latency issues for clients using Azure services. The current status of Microsoft's Azure platform is back to normal, according to the company's statement. However, experts warn that such incidents can have long-term implications for global connectivity and data transfer. "We will continue to monitor the situation and work with our partners to ensure the stability and security of our cloud services," said a Microsoft spokesperson. *Reporting by Techcrunch.*