Early Monday morning, Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a major DNS issue linked to an API endpoint for Amazon DynamoDB, one of AWS’s core database services. This problem impacted the U.S. East region, taking down numerous cloud-based applications and services across the internet.
These kinds of outages aren’t new — they happen more often than we’d like to admit. As IT professionals, we rely heavily on cloud infrastructure that works well 99% of the time. But that remaining 1% can cause widespread disruptions. When IT admins like us select SaaS vendors, we typically don’t have control over which cloud provider they use. And with AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure being the “big three” in the industry, an outage in any one of them can cause ripple effects that take down half the internet.
What Can Small Businesses Do to Prevent Cloud Outages?
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do when critical third-party services, such as payment processors, go offline. However, there are ways to reduce your dependency on the cloud by running some of your own infrastructure locally — known as on-premises (on-prem) hosting.
For example, instead of relying solely on cloud storage, you can use a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device for your business data. Running certain services on-prem can give you more control and keep your operations running even if a cloud outage occurs.
Of course, on-prem systems come with added responsibilities — hardware costs, upkeep, and maintenance. Cloud infrastructure offers convenience, scalability, and a 99% uptime guarantee. But that 1% of downtime still happens, as we saw earlier this week.
A Reminder of How Dependent We’ve Become
A few months ago, I experienced a Comcast internet outage at home. I couldn’t get much done, so I thought, “Maybe I’ll play some vinyl records.” Then I caught myself wondering, “Will this work without Wi-Fi?” — which made me laugh. Vinyls have been around since 1948, long before the cloud!
It made me realize just how many of our everyday tools — from smart speakers to thermostats — depend on constant connectivity. During this AWS outage, I even saw a TikTok video where someone’s smart smoke detector stopped functioning because AWS was down. That’s how deeply the cloud is integrated into our lives.
In another example, Level 2 Jeff on YouTube highlighted a “smart dishwasher” that requires an online account to use certain cleaning settings — a perfect example of technology over-reliance.
Striking a Balance Between Smart and Self-Sufficient
I love the convenience of smart devices — turning lights on and off from my phone, checking the thermostat remotely, or managing services from anywhere. But I also value being able to run those systems locally, so I’m not dependent on Philips or Apple’s servers to control my own lights.
At Starman Technology, we believe in finding that balance — taking advantage of the cloud where it makes sense, but maintaining local control when reliability is critical.
Need Help Building a More Resilient IT Setup?
If the recent AWS outage affected your business and you’d like to explore on-prem or hybrid solutions that reduce downtime risks, let’s talk.
📧 Email me at contact@starman.tech and we’ll work together to strengthen your IT infrastructure — so your business stays up, even when the cloud goes down.
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