What caused the sudden 30% increase in latency for Island's secure web gateway service last week?

Introduction

The sudden 30% increase in latency for Island's secure web gateway service last week is a critical issue that demands immediate attention and thorough analysis. As we delve into this problem, we'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and address the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this could be related to a recent deployment. Has there been any significant update or change to the system in the past week?

Why it matters: Recent changes often correlate with performance issues. Expected answer: Yes, there was a deployment last Tuesday. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on changes in that deployment.

• Considering the scale of the issue, I'm wondering about the geographic distribution. Is this latency increase uniform across all regions, or are some areas more affected than others?

Why it matters: Helps identify if it's a global issue or localized to specific data centers. Expected answer: The issue is more pronounced in North America and Europe. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize investigating infrastructure in those regions.

• Given the nature of secure web gateways, I'm curious about traffic patterns. Have you noticed any unusual spikes in traffic volume or changes in traffic type coinciding with the latency increase?

Why it matters: Abnormal traffic could indicate a DDoS attack or changing user behavior. Expected answer: Traffic volume has remained consistent, but there's been an increase in HTTPS requests. Impact on approach: We'd focus on HTTPS handling and SSL/TLS processes.

• Thinking about the user experience, I'm interested in the impact on different customer segments. Are enterprise customers experiencing the same level of latency increase as smaller businesses?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize the response based on customer impact and potential revenue implications. Expected answer: Enterprise customers are reporting more significant issues. Impact on approach: We'd prioritize enterprise-specific configurations or features in our investigation.