Cloud infrastructure has become the backbone of modern business. From internal operations to customer-facing services, platforms like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud support the systems we rely on every day. But what happens when one of these providers experiences a major outage?
The impact can be immediate and far-reaching. Services stall, teams scramble, and customers start asking questions. While these events are rare, they’re not unheard of—and when they do happen, they can be business-critical.
Interestingly, large-scale outages are often easier to manage than isolated ones. If the issue is widespread and publicly acknowledged, stakeholders tend to be more understanding. Customers are less likely to point fingers if you can show the problem lies with your provider.
That said, preparation makes all the difference. With the right planning, you can reduce disruption, maintain trust, and recover faster.
Secure Your Cloud Setup First
Before planning for outages, make sure your cloud environment is secure and well-configured. If your systems fail and it’s only affecting you, it’s likely a misconfiguration or security breach—both of which attract far less sympathy.
Key checks:
- Access control: Limit access to only what staff need.
- Login security: Use multi-factor authentication for critical accounts.
- Patch management: Keep systems updated and secure.
- Backups: Ensure backups exist and can be restored.
- Configuration hygiene: Have your IT team audit your setup.
- Monitoring: Use alerts to detect unusual activity.
If you use a managed service provider, ask how they secure your environment and what their response plan looks like.
Build Resilience Where It Counts
Not every system needs high availability, but your critical services do. Consider multi-region or multi-zone deployments to avoid single points of failure.
Ask:
- Which services are customer-facing or revenue-generating?
- What’s the acceptable downtime for each?
- Can you afford parallel infrastructure or automated failover?
Create a Cloud Outage Runbook
Your runbook is your response guide. It should contain clear, actionable steps for your team to follow during a cloud outage. It’s not just technical—it’s operational.
Include:
- Provider contact details
- Escalation paths
- Communication templates
- Recovery procedures
- Roles and responsibilities
- Supplier impact assessments
Review and test it regularly through tabletop exercises. A well-prepared runbook is the backbone of your outage response.
We have included below some steps and ideas to build into your runbook.
Step 1: Assessing the Scale of the Outage
Your first step during an incident: determine whether it’s isolated or widespread.
How to check:
-
Cloud provider status pages (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
-
Internal diagnostics (firewalls, login systems)
-
Peer communication (partners, vendors)
If it’s just you, escalate internally. If it’s widespread, shift focus to communication and expectation management.
Step 2: Reducing the Noise
Outages generate noise—queries, confusion, and pressure. Reduce this by centralising updates.
Actions:
- Host a service status page (internal or external)
- Keep it updated with known issues and recovery timelines
- Share it widely—email footers, intranet, chat channels
This helps staff and customers self-serve and keeps your IT team focused.
Step 3: Preparing Communications in Advance
Clear communication builds trust. Don’t wait until the outage hits to draft your messages.
Prepare:
- Social media posts
- Customer email templates
- Internal staff briefings
- Account manager scripts
Pre-approve these with legal and leadership so they’re ready to go.
Step 4: Planning for Recovery
When infrastructure returns, your services might not. Recovery can be messy without a plan.
Include in your runbook:
- Step-by-step recovery procedures
- Dependencies and configuration requirements
- Known bottlenecks or manual steps
Run simulations so your team knows what to expect.
Step 5: Knowing Who to Call
During a crisis, time matters. Your runbook should include:
- Support portal links
- Account manager contacts
- Escalation paths
- Incident ticketing procedures
This ensures you’re speaking to the right people, fast.
Step 6: Understanding Your Supply Chain
Even if your systems are fine, your suppliers might be affected—especially SaaS platforms, payment gateways, and productivity tools.
Actions:
- Identify critical suppliers
- Ask about their infrastructure dependencies
- Write contingency plans for each
This helps you maintain continuity and avoid surprises.
Step 7: Considering Extreme Resilience Options
For highly sensitive services, you may need advanced strategies like:
- Containerisation for portability
- Multi-cloud deployments
- Automated failover
These are complex and costly, but for some organisations, they’re essential.
Step 8: Preparing for Productivity Tool Failure
If Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace goes down, your ability to manage the crisis is compromised.
Plan for:
- Alternative messaging platforms
- Backup email systems
- Offline access to critical documents
Even limited access for your crisis team can make a big difference.
Final Thought
You can’t prevent a major cloud outage—but you can prepare for one. A solid runbook, clear communication, and thoughtful resilience planning will help you reduce impact, maintain trust, and recover faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do first during a cloud outage?
Start by checking whether the issue is isolated or widespread. Use your cloud provider’s status page, internal diagnostics, and peer communication to assess the scale. This determines whether to escalate internally or focus on external communication.
How can I communicate effectively during a cloud failure?
Prepare messaging templates in advance for social media, customer emails, internal briefings, and account manager scripts. Use a centralised service status page to reduce inbound queries and keep stakeholders informed.
What is a cloud outage runbook?
A runbook is a documented response plan for cloud outages. It includes contact details, escalation paths, recovery procedures, communication templates, and supplier impact assessments. It should be reviewed and tested regularly.
Should I consider multi-cloud or failover setups?
Yes, especially for critical services. Multi-cloud deployments, containerisation, and automated failover can reduce downtime risk—but they require investment and technical maturity.
How do I prepare for SaaS or productivity tool outages?
Identify alternative platforms for messaging and email. Ensure offline access to key documents and restrict backup tools to your crisis team if needed. This helps maintain coordination during outages of tools like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Can I rely on my managed service provider during a cloud outage?
You should clarify their responsibilities in advance. Ask how they secure your environment, what their incident response looks like, and how they’ll support you during a provider-level failure.