| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- The article reports that Amazon experienced a major cloud services outage that lasted for seven hours, impacting services such as Alexa, Ring, and other Amazon products [121894].
- This outage was caused by a power failure in Virginia, not a malicious hacking attempt [121894].
- Thousands of Americans were affected by the outage, with issues ranging from smart vacuums not working to smart lightbulbs not responding to voice commands [121894].
- Some customers were unable to turn on their Christmas lights due to the outage, highlighting the impact on the holiday season [121894].
- The outage disrupted Amazon's shipping operations, causing delays in deliveries and potentially creating lasting logjams during the Christmas season [121894].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The outage at Amazon Web Services not only affected Amazon but also impacted various other organizations and services, including The Associated Press, airline reservations, auto dealerships, payment apps, video streaming services, and more [121894].
- The incident highlighted the widespread impact of cloud service outages, affecting a range of industries and services beyond just Amazon [121894]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to the design phase:
- The Amazon cloud outage affecting services like Alexa, Ring, and Roomba smart vacuums was attributed to a major cloud services outage caused by a power failure in Virginia, not a malicious hacking [121894].
- Amazon mentioned that the outage was likely due to issues related to the application programming interface (API), which is a set of protocols for building and integrating application software [121894].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to the operation phase:
- Some Ring customers reported spending time rebooting or reinstalling their apps and devices before realizing the outage on social media, indicating issues related to the operation or use of the system [121894].
- The outage disrupted Amazon's shipping operations, impacting communications between Amazon and its fleet of drivers, preventing route assignments and package deliveries, which can be considered an operational failure [121894]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system:
The software failure incident at Amazon, which led to a global outage affecting services like Alexa, Ring, and Roomba, was primarily caused by issues related to the application programming interface (API) [121894]. This indicates that the failure originated within the system itself, specifically related to the protocols for building and integrating application software.
(b) outside_system:
The root cause of the outage was identified as a power failure in Virginia, rather than a malicious hacking attempt [121894]. This external factor, a power failure, originated outside the system and contributed to the software failure incident. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident at Amazon, which led to a global outage affecting services like Alexa, Ring, and Roomba, was attributed to a power failure in Virginia rather than a malicious hacking. The outage was likely caused by issues related to the application programming interface (API), which is a set of protocols for building and integrating application software [121894].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
There is no specific mention in the provided article about the software failure incident at Amazon being directly caused by human actions. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The outage at Amazon Web Services was caused by a power failure in Virginia, indicating a hardware-related issue [121894].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- Amazon mentioned that the outage was likely due to issues related to the application programming interface (API), which is a set of protocols for building and integrating application software [121894]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident at Amazon, which led to a major cloud services outage affecting various services like Alexa, Ring, and Roomba, was determined to be non-malicious. A source mentioned in the article stated that the cause of the outage was a power failure in Virginia and not a malicious hacking [121894].
Additionally, Amazon mentioned that the outage was likely due to issues related to the application programming interface (API), which is a set of protocols for building and integrating application software [121894].
The outage impacted various services and businesses beyond Amazon, including airline reservations, auto dealerships, payment apps, video streaming services, and more, indicating a widespread non-malicious failure [121894]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The software failure incident at Amazon, which led to a major cloud services outage affecting various services like Alexa, Ring, and Roomba, was not due to poor decisions but rather a power failure in Virginia [121894]. The outage was attributed to issues related to the application programming interface (API) [121894]. The incident disrupted Amazon's shipping operations during the crucial Christmas shopping season, impacting delivery schedules and potentially creating lasting logjams in the supply chain [121894].
(b) The software failure incident at Amazon was not explicitly attributed to accidental decisions or mistakes but rather to a power failure in Virginia [121894]. The outage affected various services and devices, causing inconvenience to users who relied on smart home technology [121894]. The incident highlighted the vulnerabilities of relying on internet-connected gadgets and a single company for essential services [121894]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence:
- The outage at Amazon Web Services was attributed to a power failure in Virginia, not a malicious hacking, indicating a failure that was not caused by intentional actions but rather by a lack of professional competence in ensuring power redundancy and backup systems [121894].
(b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally:
- The outage at Amazon Web Services was primarily caused by a power failure in Virginia, which was an accidental event rather than a deliberate action [121894]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the news article was temporary. The Amazon cloud outage lasted for seven hours on Tuesday, impacting various services such as Alexa, Ring doorbells, Roomba smart vacuums, fridges, lights, and more [121894]. The outage disrupted Amazon's shipping operations, communication with drivers, and caused delays in deliveries, indicating a temporary failure rather than a permanent one. |
| Behaviour |
crash, byzantine |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Amazon cloud outage led to various services going down, including Alexa, Roomba robot vacuum cleaners, Ring doorbells, and more, leaving users trapped outside their own 'smart' homes [121894].
(b) omission: Users reported being unable to access their homes as the Ring doorbells went down, causing inconvenience for those who relied on the phone app to enter their homes rather than using a code [121894].
(c) timing: The outage disrupted Amazon's shipping operations during the crucial Christmas shopping season, potentially causing delays in deliveries and creating logjams in the supply chain [121894].
(d) value: Thousands of Americans were left without working smart devices like Roomba vacuums, fridges, and lights in their homes as smart lightbulbs stopped responding to voice commands during the outage, impacting the functionality of these devices [121894].
(e) byzantine: The outage affected a wide range of services beyond Amazon's own operations, impacting airline reservations, auto dealerships, payment apps, video streaming services, and more, showcasing the widespread and inconsistent impact of the incident [121894].
(f) other: The outage highlighted the vulnerability of relying on a 'smart home' that depends on internet access and a single company, with some users experiencing disruptions in their daily routines and activities due to the software failure incident [121894]. |