Is Windows Live ID Enterprise-Ready? Windows Live ID Service Admits Outage
On the Windows Live Blog today there was a short post that admitted there was a service interruption earlier today that (in their words) caused some customers not to be able to log into services that use Windows Live ID for authentication. What I found curious about this post is that it points the problem to a single server, as if that minimizes the gravity of the problem! Really? One server fails and takes down likely thousands (or more likely hundreds of thousands) of user’s ability to authenticate? Once again, I’m disheartened by the ability of Windows Live ID to evolve both technically and functionally with consumer and enterprise requirements.
What brings on this rant is my own experience over several years with Windows Live ID and it’s inability to meet my needs as a consumer and business owner. Let’s walk through a few of them:
- Outlook Hotmail Connector. This add-on performs like clockwork. And what I mean by that is that it continually fails connecting to the Hotmail servers at least half a dozen times per day. At first, I thought my internet connection was spotty, and then maybe I was forgetting my password. But as I’ve purchased more machines and improved my wired & wireless networks over the years, I’ve realized that someone in Redmond seemingly isn’t paying attention and assumes users are willing to re-type their credentials several times a day for the “privilege” of managing their non-Exchange Server email in Microsoft Outlook.
- Inability to Link Accounts. Imagine a world wherein an individual decides to use Microsoft products on both a consumer level and for business purposes. Well, I’m in that world right now. And let me tell you, it is an inconvenient truth that having to log in/out of the Windows Live ID accounts I have for my company and for personal use is ridiculous. If I want to use my Office Live Small Business workspace, I have to make sure I’m logged in with the correct account, otherwise I get a message that basically says “Who? We don’t know you!”
And to add insult to injury, it usually doesn’t remember my account information, requiring me to type in my email address and password yet again (which brings up the question: what should happen when I select Remember my…. ?). What would be ideal is for Microsoft to use an approach similar to (wait for it…) Google, Flickr and a few other web services, allowing users to associate multiple accounts. Just give me a pop-up windows that allows me to select which profile I want to use (or default to) when I go to a specific Windows Live ID-enabled website. Easy Peasy. - The Windows Azure Debacle. Ok, this is classic first-year compsci stuff now: When I signed up for Windows Azure services for my company, it required me to use a Windows Live ID account to register. Ok, fine. But guess what? Now I’m the only person who can manage the services! That’s right – there’s no functionality to allow say, my senior database designer access to administering Windows Azure SQL. I’m told that they’re working on fixing this in some way. I fail to understand why it was even allowed to be an issue.
The underlying question in all of this is whether or not Windows Live ID understands the importance of uptime, flexibility and practicality in this new era of 99.999% uptime, geographically-dispersed workforces and the new “world of work” where individuals are constantly managing personal and business activities throughout the day and frequently with the same devices.
I’ve rooted for Microsoft’s success in providing a user identification platform, as far back as Hailstorm. But I’m grown more pessimistic as I see them continually overlooking the basics while reaching for deeper integration into enterprise services and relevance in the new technology era. If they can’t make the necessary changes and improvements to Windows Live ID, it runs the risk of poisoning the experience of every product and service it touches.
Short outage, now resolved – Inside Windows Live – The Windows Blog
