Cloud solutions like AWS and Cloudflare hold a pivotal position in running many online services.
Though they get little attention from users, AWS and Cloudflare are two of the pillars that keep the internet running smoothly. When their infrastructure goes down, many familiar applications are disrupted and everyday online experiences suffer.
The recent Cloudflare outage is a reminder that most of the services we use run on a few key background systems. Behind every online experience are complex systems that few people realize, and any glitch can ripple across the network.
What are AWS and Cloudflare?
AWS, short for Amazon Web Services, is a cloud computing platform that provides servers, data storage, databases, and many other online services. Millions of companies, from small startups to large corporations, rely on AWS to run the applications, websites, e-commerce, and online services we use every day.
Cloudflare is another platform that plays an equally important role. It helps deliver content faster, protects websites from cyber attacks, and optimizes the user experience. Many large websites, online services, and even popular applications use Cloudflare to ensure speed and security.
In other words, when AWS or Cloudflare goes down, it's not the internet that "goes down," but the services, servers, and platforms they operate that go down.
For example, Netflix, Slack, or e-commerce sites that rely on AWS may experience downtime, while services that don't rely on AWS continue to run normally.
Likewise, when Cloudflare goes down, websites that use its CDN and security are temporarily disrupted, while the rest of the internet continues to function normally. This shows how dependent many online services are on a few major providers, and explains why each outage causes a stir online.
Notable incidents
In recent years, AWS and Cloudflare have both experienced notable outages that have disrupted many important online services.
For example, in November 2021, Cloudflare suffered an outage that lasted about 45 minutes, temporarily rendering millions of websites inaccessible. E-commerce, news and entertainment sites were disrupted, forcing businesses to announce the situation via social media or use backup servers to maintain partial operations.
However, backup servers are often not as powerful or fully functional as the main system, so the user experience is still limited.
Meanwhile, in December 2022, an AWS outage that lasted nearly six hours disrupted Amazon.com, Twitch, and Slack. Users were unable to log in, send messages, or access the platforms. Large businesses can move services to other data regions or temporarily limit some features, but for many companies, setting up alternative infrastructure capable of serving all of their users is a major cost and technical challenge.
Even with redundant servers, many services rely on AWS or Cloudflare. These platforms provide robust, stable, secure, and globally distributed infrastructure that most small and medium-sized businesses would struggle to deploy on their own at the same scale.
These events show that incidents at AWS or Cloudflare are not just isolated technical issues, but directly affect the operational capabilities of many important services. From e-commerce platforms, work applications to online entertainment services, each disruption attracts the attention of the online community, demonstrating the pivotal role of cloud infrastructure in today's digital life.
Future direction
The AWS and Cloudflare incidents show that businesses and consumers alike need to be wary: relying on a few large infrastructure providers is always risky. As a result, many businesses are considering dispersing their infrastructure, using a combination of cloud services, or building redundant systems to minimize damage when incidents occur.
Additionally, monitoring and preparing emergency response plans is important. The more proactive companies are in planning for backups, load shedding, and alternative plans, the less likely service disruptions will impact users.
Users need to know
When AWS or Cloudflare have an outage, some services are temporarily down, but the internet continues to operate normally. Users can monitor service notifications for outages, use temporary alternative platforms if needed, and store important data in multiple locations to reduce the risk of an outage.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/aws-cloudflare-la-gi-ma-moi-lan-sap-khien-ca-cong-dong-mang-day-song-2025112016445886.htm
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