After a series of glitches causes a massive email backlog, Microsoft has posted a detailed explanation and apology for the problems with the cloud-based Microsoft Exchange subscription service.
As a result of the backlog, some messages were delayed as long as nine hours, while another separate issue with Outlook Web Access raised issues with Exchange ActiveSync devices.
"On Tuesday and today we experienced three separate service issues that impacted customers served from our Americas data center," explained Dave Thompson, corporate vice president of Microsoft Online Services. "All of these issues have been resolved and the service is now running smoothly. These incidents were unique to BPOS and not related to Office 365 or any other Microsoft services."
If you're gleaning a defensive tone, it's not without merit. Last week Office Live customers were having trouble accessing the cloud-based service. While Office Live is expected to stay online, Office 365 will replace Microsoft's Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS)—the service affected today—as well as Office Live Small Business and Live@edu.
Despite excitement surrounding Office 365, the site is off to a shaky start. Two days after the public release of the beta, community forums lit up with technical questions and complaints, most pertaining to SharePoint Online, Lync interoperability with Mac, and Exchange mobile syncing.
To its credit, Microsoft has handled the latest cloud-based turbulence with detail and humility. About this week's email backlog, Thompson added: "I'd like to apologize to you, our customers and partners, for the obvious inconveniences these issues caused. We know that email is a critical part of your business communication, and my team and I fully recognize our responsibility as your partner and service provider."