When there is an interruption in a service provided over the Internet, there is Three ways to find out: by experiencing it firsthand, because it is published in the media and social networks or by Downdetectorwhich is the most complete and immediate way to do it. You probably know the name because it is the reference used by the media to measure an interruption of an Internet service. Now, What is Downdetector and how does it work?
Downdetector is an online platform that provides real-time information about the status and availability of a multitude of services and websites. Users can check Downdetector, on its web version or the app for Android and iOSto see if there are any issues with popular services such as social networks, Internet providers, gaming platforms, banks, airlines, streaming services, and many more and find out what they are.
The origins of this service take us to 2012when two Dutch software engineers, Tom Sanders and Sander van de Graafthey launched the website. The idea arose from the need to have a reliable source that reports on Internet incidents and the project soon gained a reputation as such thanks to its system based primarily on reports submitted by users. In 2018, Downdetector was acquired by Ooklathe company behind Speedtest.neta popular internet speed measurement tool. This acquisition allowed Downdetector to expand its reach and enhance its monitoring capabilities.
How Downdetector works
When accessing the website, the user finds a list of the applications and services that are having the most problems at that time. If you access from Spain, Downdetector will show you the information corresponding to this country.but you can select any other by clicking on the corresponding flag from the list shown on each service page.
Here it is shown a graph with data from reports submitted by users in the last few hours. When there is a problem of magnitude like the one today with Azureyou see a pronounced peak and moving the mouse over it displays the number of reports per hour received on the platform about this problem. If it is very high in relation to the normal volume of incidents that is also shown, the problem is extensive..
From that same page, the website gives the user the option to Send a report by selecting from different optionsContinuing with the Azure example, it can be ‘Server Connection’, ‘Hosting’ or ‘File Access’, among others that vary depending on the type of service in question.
Downdetector also points out the percentages of reports that correspond to each type of incidentwhich allows a more precise idea of the problem that is taking place. The accounts of the service provider on X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook are also inserted on the page, so the user also has access to updates to the problem on your part.
Users can also provide additional information using the comments section which includes each page of a service. The fact that statistics are updated in real time also allows Quickly know when an incident is being resolved.
In addition to reports submitted by users, 25 million monthlyinterruptions are also collected from social media and transparent problem indicators from across the webas Downdetector explains. For example, in Google searches or by monitoring the accounts of services on X, formerly Twitter, looking for keywords that point to an incident. Based on all this data, Downdetector reports a problem when it detects that A significant number of users are affected. This is calculated by comparing the number of reports per hour compared to the daily average over the past year. In total, Downdetector tracks more than 6,000 services in 45 countries.