On October 20, 2025, websites and apps around the world suddenly stopped working.
Snapchat, Xbox, PSN, Optus, and 9Now all went dark for hours. The cause? A glitch in Amazon Web Services (AWS) that rippled across global networks.
It’s a reminder that even the biggest platforms aren’t immune to downtime, and these issues can cause businesses to grind to a halt.
And the frustrating effects include news readers, social media users, gamers, and patients.
Quick: What’s a ‘glitch’? A small and often unexpected error in a computer system, causing it to behave unexpectedly for a short time. Some can cause serious problems, others can even be harmless or funny, like twisted graphics in a video game.
When Global Systems Falter
In the AWS case, a technical issue disrupted something called DNS resolution, the system that translates website names into the digital addresses computers use.
Once that broke, websites couldn’t “find” each other, and millions of users saw error screens.
It’s not an isolated event.
Earlier in 2024, the CrowdStrike software update outage temporarily disabled Windows systems worldwide, halting flights, hospital operations, and major logistics networks. Read more about the CrowdStrike outage in this ABC News article.
Even well-managed infrastructure can be impacted when global systems go down.
How a Global IT Outage Typically Unfolds
While every incident is different, most large-scale IT outages follow a similar chain of events:
- A small error occurs.
It might start with a corrupted configuration file, failed software update, or misapplied setting in a large data centre. - Servers begin to fail.
Systems detect unusual behaviour and begin isolating affected servers to prevent wider spread. - Traffic reroutes and backup systems engage.
Automated systems attempt to divert traffic to backup servers or other regions. If the issue is widespread, these backups can quickly overload. - Engineers react.
Technical teams hold emergency meetings, analyse system logs, and apply fixes while pausing new updates to avoid making things worse. - Public impact becomes visible.
Websites and apps time out, users receive “Service unavailable” errors, and businesses lose access to hosted tools. Users vent their frustrations. - Communication and recovery.
The service provider releases an incident report or social media update, continues testing fixes, and gradually restores systems.
How Outages Affect Local Practices
You don’t have to run a massive enterprise to feel the impact.
Many Australian healthcare practices rely on cloud-based tools, practice management systems, telephony software, and patient booking platforms that all depend on third-party servers.
When those servers go down, your staff can’t log in, patients can’t book, and records may be temporarily inaccessible.
The good news? While no one can prevent every outage, resilience is something you can plan for.
At Quo Group, we focus on helping practices continue operating smoothly even when the unexpected happens. See what we offer for healthcare here.
Building Real-World Resilience
Here’s what helps keep systems (and patient care) on track during disruptions:
1. Tested Backups
A backup isn’t really a backup unless it’s been tested. Regular restore drills ensure your data is accessible and usable if the primary system fails.
2. Local Support That Stays Online
When international providers face downtime, having an Australian-based IT partner means your help desk remains reachable, even if global systems aren’t.
3. Clear Communication Plans
If email or phones go down, your team still needs to communicate with each other and patients. Having simple, offline procedures keeps things moving.
4. Smart Infrastructure Choices
Rather than relying on dozens of separate providers, working with one partner who manages your systems end-to-end, and has robust redundancy and security protections, actually reduces complexity and risk.
This is where Quo Group’s managed infrastructure gives practices confidence that essential systems can recover quickly and stay protected.
Are You Prepared? Key Questions to Ask
Before the next outage hits, take a few minutes to review your setup:
- Can you still see patients if your practice management system goes down?
- Do you have an alternate way to access patient records?
- How would you contact staff or patients if your main systems fail?
- Do you know who to call? And will they be available if international systems are affected?
- When was the last time your backups were tested?
These questions can help identify gaps early, before a disruption turns into a crisis.
Reliable IT Makes the Difference
No one can predict the next global outage, but you can choose how ready your practice will be when it happens.
With Quo Group, practices benefit from proactive monitoring, strong local support, and managed infrastructure designed specifically for Australian healthcare.
That means faster response times, fewer interruptions, and confidence that your systems are protected, maintained, and supported by a team who already knows your setup.
Because when your IT is resilient, your team can focus on what matters most: Delivering quality healthcare to your patients.
