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In the Wake of Microsoft's Downed Sites, Web Infrastructure Reexamined

By Erica D. Rowell

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But it is necessary that companies make a point of creating what Scambray calls the equivalent of "concrete pylons" outside of store fronts to ward off would-be drivers who might crash into their windows.

Smart businesses have approached it that way from the beginning, setting up elaborate contingency plans for worst-case scenarios. "You must be prepared for the unthinkable," says Scambray.

Building redunancies such as multiple servers and monitoring devices scattered throughout the Net is a must in this budding e-commerce age, experts say. And it's the companies that have made this an important part of their business from the outset that are reaping the benefits. The more reliable a Web site is, for instance, the more its customer base will come to trust it. In this respect, it is like any other company relying on technology, from telephones to television and radio broadcasting.

And while the Net is still about three decades young — and the Web still in its infancy — it doesn't mean the technology is necessarily more prone to failure than other, more seasoned technologies.

Howe points to this year's Super Bowl and the many redundant feeds that were in place to avoid a major technical error from a single satellite or transmission failure. With so much money riding on the game and so many major networks carrying it, "I'm sure there were tons of links there that were never used," says Howe. "The whole idea here is you have contingency plans. The whole theory behind really nonstop e-commerce is the thought that I don't bet my entire business on any one component. I have multiple ways of delivering my content."

S I D E B A R:
Teaming Up With Akamai

R E D M O N D, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. has hired network company Akamai Technologies Inc. to operate backup domain name servers, the network equipment that directs Internet traffic. The decision was made after several outages on Microsoft web sites, including microsoft.com, MSN.com and Hotmail.com, Microsoft spokesman Adam Sohn said.

He declined to discuss further details of the deal with Cambridge, Mass.-based Akamai.

"This seemed like the smart, immediate step to take," he said.

Microsoft sites went down for 22-hours starting Tuesday night. The company said the problem was caused by a mistake made by a technician working on the network equipment. On Thursday and Friday, customers again encountered troubles logging onto Microsoft Web sites after a so-called "denial-of-service" attack on the same equipment. Hackers, using automation software, overwhelmed sites with fake traffic so legitimate Internet users were unable to get through.

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