UI ITS outage caused by automated system update

The update inadvertently changed uiowa.edu server configurations causing the outage on Oct. 6.

Grace Olson, News Editor

October 17, 2024

The Information Technology Services are seen in the Old Capital Mall on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. The campus wifi has been experiencing issues throughout the fall semester.

As many University of Iowa students were working to turn in quizzes and assignments, an Oct. 6 Wi-Fi outage left thousands without internet access.

ITS Director of Strategic Communication Nicole Dahya wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan that the ITS outage was caused by an automated system update that inadvertently changed server configurations. This caused logins on UI websites and eduroam to stop working.

Dahya wrote the outage began at 6:15 a.m. Sunday morning and was resolved that evening.

These outages are rare, Dahya wrote, but ITS worked to send out alerts and messages to inform students about what was going on.

“We appreciate the support and patience of campus as we worked through this incident, and we are grateful to the many IT professionals who worked throughout Sunday to restore services,” she wrote.

UI Public Relations Manager Chris Brewer wrote the university worked to push information out on its X account to inform students of the outage. The UI posted on X and the ITS website during the outage on Oct. 6.

As many students were unable to access ICON, Brewer wrote students were able to return to normal class and assignment flow on Oct. 7.

“Instructors are encouraged to be flexible and work with students directly to address any challenges that may arise from a technology outage,” he wrote.

Second-year student Jackie Corless said she couldn’t submit a large paper during the outage, and she and many of her friends were very stressed and unsure about the potential impacts on their grades.

“I was literally throwing a tantrum because I could not submit this thing,” she said.

Corless also expressed her dissatisfaction with how the university handled the outage and their communication with students. She said she thinks they should’ve sent more detailed updates, possibly over text.

“I definitely feel like, in the near future, they should give us some sort of other option, like some sort of backup internet,” Corless said. “If this was to happen again, they need to have some sort of plan in place.”