Summary
Libero.it experienced a significant email service outage starting around January 23, 2023, attributed to server-related issues by Aruba.it. While Libero.it acknowledged the outage and provided updates, many users reported continued issues even after the announced fix. The Italian Communications Authority (Agcom) launched an investigation. Users explored workarounds with limited success. SpamResource recommended general ISP outage mitigation strategies like monitoring bounce rates and throttling sending volume. Cloudflare Radar showed a drop in connectivity. Reports on Reddit, Twitter and Italian News outlets showed the scale of the problem.
Key findings
- Outage Timeline: The major outage began around January 23, 2023, with lingering issues persisting beyond initial restoration efforts.
- Technical Cause: Server problems, as confirmed by Aruba.it, were the root cause of the service disruption.
- User Experience: Many users continued to experience problems, including delayed delivery and login failures, even after the official fix.
- Regulatory Scrutiny: Agcom's investigation indicated the seriousness of the outage and its potential impact.
- Connectivity Impact: Cloudflare Radar data demonstrated a significant drop in connectivity to Libero.it services during the outage.
- Mitigation Strategies: General mitigation steps for ISP outages include monitoring bounce rates and throttling sending volume.
Key considerations
- Delivery Monitoring: Closely monitor email delivery rates to Libero.it domains to identify any ongoing issues.
- Sending Volume: Consider throttling sending volume to Libero.it to minimize further delivery problems.
- Alternative Communication: Establish alternative communication channels with Libero.it users in case of future disruptions.
- Proactive Planning: Develop a plan for future ISP outages, including communication strategies and mitigation tactics.
- Official Channels: Monitor official Libero.it channels for updates and recovery timelines.
- Address Validation: Consider validating Libero.it email addresses more frequently, to ensure that undeliverable addresses can be identified.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
The Libero.it email service experienced a significant outage starting around January 23, 2023, causing widespread disruption. While Libero.it announced a fix, many users continued to report issues with email access and delivery. Some users reported gradual restoration of services in late January/early February, but sporadic issues persisted. News outlets covered the outage extensively, detailing technical issues and user impact. Users explored temporary workarounds with varying success. Monitoring bounce rates, throttling sending volume, and communicating with the ISP were suggested mitigation strategies.
Key opinions
- Outage Period: A major outage of Libero.it email services occurred around January 23, 2023.
- Partial Restoration: Services were gradually restored in late January/early February, but some users still faced issues.
- User Impact: The outage significantly impacted users, disrupting personal and business communication.
- Technical Issues: Server-related problems were the root cause, as reported by the hosting provider.
- Communication: Libero.it provided updates on their status page and Twitter, but some users found information inconsistent.
- Continued Issues: Despite the announced fix, many users continue to experience sporadic issues with accessing their email including delayed message delivery.
Key considerations
- Monitoring: Continuously monitor bounce rates and delivery performance when sending to Libero.it domains.
- Throttling: Consider throttling sending volume to Libero.it to avoid deliverability issues.
- Alternative Channels: Communicate important information to Libero.it users through alternative channels (e.g., SMS, social media) if possible.
- Workarounds: Be aware that reported user workarounds might not be reliable and could have limited success.
- ISP Communication: Attempt to communicate with Libero.it regarding ongoing deliverability challenges. This may be difficult.
- Further Outages: Consider if future outages are possible, plan/document what to do in that event.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that Libero.it is providing updates on Twitter, mentioning a 24/48 hour timeframe for resolution as of that morning.
3 Jul 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from DownDetector reports a surge in reported issues for Libero.it starting around January 23, 2023, indicating a widespread outage affecting many users. Live outage map and user comments indicated the affected regions and user concerns.
29 May 2022 - DownDetector
What the experts say
1 expert opinions
SpamResource's expert advice regarding ISP outages focuses on general mitigation strategies applicable to any ISP experiencing issues, not specifically Libero.it. The key recommendations are closely monitoring bounce rates, establishing communication with the ISP (if possible), and throttling sending volume to minimize deliverability problems both during and after the outage.
Key opinions
- General Guidance: The information provided is general advice for ISP outages, not specific to the Libero.it situation.
- Bounce Monitoring: Closely monitoring bounce rates is critical to understanding the impact of the outage on deliverability.
- ISP Communication: Attempting to communicate with the ISP is recommended for updates and potential resolution strategies.
- Volume Throttling: Throttling sending volume helps prevent further deliverability issues during and after the outage.
Key considerations
- Applicability: While the advice is helpful, remember that it is generic and might not perfectly address the unique aspects of the Libero.it outage.
- Communication Feasibility: Consider the feasibility of contacting Libero.it directly, as it may not be possible or effective.
- Implementation: Carefully implement volume throttling to balance deliverability with business needs.
Expert view
Expert from SpamResource discusses general ISP outages (not specific to Libero.it). It explains typical mitigation strategies, such as closely monitoring bounce rates, communicating with the ISP if possible, and throttling sending volume to avoid further deliverability issues during and immediately after the outage.
10 Oct 2023 - SpamResource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Official documentation from Libero.it, Aruba.it, Agcom, and Cloudflare Radar collectively provides insight into the Libero.it outage. Libero.it acknowledged the outage, citing technical issues and providing restoration updates. Aruba.it confirmed server problems as the root cause. Agcom initiated an investigation. Cloudflare Radar data illustrated the significant drop in connectivity during the outage.
Key findings
- Acknowledgment: Libero.it officially acknowledged the service interruption.
- Root Cause: Aruba.it identified server-related issues as the cause of the outage.
- Investigation: Agcom launched an investigation to assess the impact and compliance.
- Connectivity Drop: Cloudflare Radar data shows a significant decline in connectivity to Libero.it services during the outage.
Key considerations
- Data Reliability: Official documentation provides reliable information on the outage and its causes.
- Recovery Timelines: Refer to official updates from Libero.it for estimated recovery timelines.
- Regulatory Impact: The Agcom investigation highlights the potential regulatory impact of the outage.
- Connectivity Metrics: Utilize data from Cloudflare Radar and similar sources to monitor Libero.it's connectivity status.
Technical article
Documentation from Libero.it acknowledged the service interruption on their official status page, citing technical issues and providing updates on restoration progress. The announcements included apologies for the inconvenience and estimated timeframes for full service recovery.
31 Jan 2022 - Libero.it
Technical article
Documentation from Agcom (Italian Communications Authority) announced an investigation into the Libero.it outage to assess the impact on users and ensure compliance with service level agreements. Details on the investigation's scope and timeline were published.
29 Jan 2025 - Agcom.it
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