JetBlue Flights Delayed By Verizon Data Center Power Outage
A power outage at a Verizon data center hit JetBlue Airways operations Thursday, delaying flights and sending many of its customers scrambling to rebook.
Verizon, which according to Reuters is in the process of selling off its data center business, did not say which data center suffered the outage.
New York-based JetBlue wrote in a BlueTales blog post Thursday that the company experienced network issues because of a Verizon data center power outage that impacted customer support systems, including jetblue.com, mobile apps, a toll-free phone number, and check-in and airport counter/gate systems.
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The blog post was updated at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time with a note that "while still experiencing system issues due to a Verizon Data Center power outage, booking flights is now restored."
Neither JetBlue nor Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon provided details about the outage.
In response to a CRN request for more information, a JetBlue spokesperson wrote: "Flights are still departing at this time but customers traveling may experience delays or cancelations. Customers traveling today will receive current flight status information from crewmembers in our airports."
A Verizon spokesperson also responded to the CRN request with a statement: "On Thursday morning at 11:37 am ET, a Verizon data center experienced a power outage that impacted JetBlue's operations. JetBlue's systems are now being restored. Our engineering team has been working to restore service quickly, and power has been restored to the data center."
Both spokespeople pointed to the JetBlue blog post for further information.
JetBlue in November signed a new five-year agreement expanding its relationship with Verizon. That agreement, originally signed in 2009, provides Verizon's core technologies -- including enterprise-class cloud, managed security, advanced communications, mobility networks and professional services -- to JetBlue.
Not mentioned in the statement the two companies signed in November was whether the agreement provided JetBlue with continued access to Verizon's data centers.
Reuters in early January reported that Verizon is starting the process to sell off its data center assets in a deal worth more than $2.5 billion. Those assets include 48 data centers, many of which came from Verizon's $1.4 billion purchase of Terremark in 2011.
Outages and failures happen, and it's a question of when, according to Ted Schuman, founder and CEO of PlanetOne Communications, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based provider of cloud-based and connectivity solutions.
Schuman told CRN via email that MSPs and agents need to talk with their vendors, providers and distributors about business continuity, and should prepare documented plans for themselves and their customers.
"Whether it's on-premise or in the cloud, when something like this happens it's often what's done next that will make the difference," he wrote. "Continued communication and resolution are critical. As for IT security concerns, in many cases cloud-based technologies and services are more secure. That said, every player needs to be prepared for the red envelope and have a plan in place."
PUBLISHED JAN. 14, 2016