'MS 364': Outlook, Teams disrupted for nearly a day
Microsoft 365 faced a major outage affecting email and communication tools for numerous businesses. In response, many organizations opted for alternative platforms like Slack and Zoom to keep operations running smoothly. Though some services saw partial recovery, users faced ongoing sporadic issues. Affected airlines and banks informed customers about the complications, while Microsoft clarified…
On Thursday evening, a global Microsoft 365 outage severely disrupted operations across offices, leaving Outlook email, Teams calendars, and various tools essential for Microsoft's workplace services paralyzed. The issue began in India after midnight and was partially restored by Friday evening, though intermittent problems persisted. Microsoft found no evidence of a cyberattack, attributing the disruption to a network change reversal they initiated earlier that day.
Companies reliant on Microsoft services, such as Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Tata Communications, and IBM, resorted to alternative communication platforms like Slack, Webex, and Zoom to maintain operations. Tata Motors shifted its quarterly results webcast with Jaguar Land Rover executives to StreamCart, while IBM directed employees to Slack for workplace communication.
Financial institutions, including HDFC Bank, communicated with customers through alternative channels, as their banking services remained functional despite the disruptions. Airlines and airport operators also reported operational continuity, with the notable exception of email communication with passengers. Air India rerouted incoming messages, while IndiGo and Akasa Air directed passengers to alternative channels like chatbots or social media for urgent assistance.
Overseas, Australia's sanctions office directed urgent inquiries to phone lines, and the National Pharmacy Association in the UK warned that NHS email disruptions could delay prescriptions. Microsoft initially flagged trouble accessing work mailboxes in the Americas, with complaints increasing as Indian offices opened on Friday morning.
The outage primarily affected Exchange Online, the service responsible for workplace email and calendars. Some servers went offline, causing a disproportionate workload on the remaining machines, which then stopped responding when users attempted to reconnect. Microsoft began addressing the issue by reversing a recent network change and investigating its potential role in triggering the disruption. Teams chats and calls remained operational despite the failure of calendars and meeting invites.
Microsoft expressed regret for the disruption, stating that their global teams were working urgently to resolve the issue. By late evening in India, mailbox access was improving, and delayed emails were being processed. Companies like Anthropic and OpenAI also reported issues related to the disruption, with some users experiencing difficulties accessing Microsoft 365 connectors and ChatGPT services.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
