Welcome to Ask Jerry, where we delve into the intricacies of the smart devices that populate our lives. I’m Jerry, a tech enthusiast with a rich background in engineering and R&D, and I’ve been your go-to source for Android and Google insights for the past 15 years. At Ask Jerry, we tackle your burning Android and tech questions with the expertise of long-time Android Central editor Jerry Hildenbrand.
My knack for researching data about everything is a cornerstone of our mission at Android Central, and I take great pleasure in assisting people with their tech conundrums. If you have questions about your tech, I’m here to discuss them.
Huge Microsoft Windows Outage Disrupts Services Globally
This is what happens when you send out an update to everyone at the same time.
I was preparing this article when last Friday’s Microsoft outage occurred, and the timing couldn’t have been more serendipitous. To clarify, Microsoft was not directly responsible for the thousands of Windows Servers crashing that morning. The culprit was a third-party software vendor named CrowdStrike, which provides Windows Server security services. Despite this, a single flawed update caused global chaos when it was deployed universally at once.
Google endeavors to prevent such scenarios by gradually rolling out software changes and monitoring their impact on initial recipients. This phased approach has been in place since the beginning. In 2014, Google Executive Dan Morrill, a key figure in the original Android team, elucidated the rationale and methodology behind it.
Rollouts are conducted in phases. Typically they start at 1% of devices for around 24 – 48 hours; we watch the return rates and resulting device check-ins and error reports (if any), and make sure nothing looks wrong before sending it to more. Then typically it goes to 25%, 50%, 100% over the course of a week or two.
Google acknowledges that no matter how rigorously a new piece of software is tested, there is always a risk of it causing issues once released to the entire user base. Pixel phones, although not exceedingly popular, often receive updates that are later integrated into Android itself, potentially affecting almost every phone globally.
By incrementally pushing out updates and observing their effects, Google minimizes potential damage. There have been numerous instances of botched software rollouts. In most cases, the problematic software was swiftly recalled, rectified, re-tested, and then re-released gradually to ensure its stability.
This cautious approach is standard practice among tech giants like Google, Apple, Samsung, and others. Software is developed and tested internally before being distributed to a limited number of beta testers. Once deemed stable, it is rolled out slowly to monitor its performance.
This is also why I advise against installing beta software on devices you rely on daily. Expecting issues is an integral part of this process. While waiting for new features can be frustrating—especially when hyped by Google and platforms like Android Central—it’s far less exasperating than dealing with a non-functional device. Let’s hope Google continues its prudent strategy of slow software rollouts.
