Cloudflare Outage Resolved: Global Websites Back Online After Firewall Change

Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET) is a leading global cloud services provider on a mission to help build a better Internet. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company offers a comprehensive suite of network and security services that enhance the performance, reliability, and security of websites, applications, and APIs. At its core, Cloudflare operates a massive, globally distributed network of data centers that deliver content faster (via its Content Delivery Network), protect against cyber threats like DDoS attacks and web exploits, and simplify internet infrastructure with services such as DNS, domain registration, and Zero Trust security. Founded in 2009 by Matthew Prince, Lee Holloway, and Michelle Zatlyn, Cloudflare began as a tool to trace email spam but quickly evolved into a powerful platform for web performance and security. Over the years, it has become a critical piece of internet infrastructure, handling tens of millions of HTTP requests per second and serving customers from individual bloggers to large enterprises and government agencies. A key achievement is Cloudflare’s innovative freemium, land-and-expand business model: it offers a robust free tier to attract users, then monetizes through tiered subscriptions (Pro, Business, Enterprise) and advanced services like Cloudflare Workers (a serverless edge computing platform), Argo Smart Routing, and Zero Trust solutions. This model has driven strong revenue growth and high customer retention. Today, Cloudflare is a publicly traded company with a broad product portfolio that increasingly targets developers and enterprise IT decision-makers. Notable aspects include its focus on simplifying complex internet infrastructure, its commitment to an open and secure web, and its recent initiatives around AI-driven internet economics, such as the NET Dollar concept for microtransactions.

LinkedIn is a leading professional social networking platform founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and officially launched in 2003. It serves as a global hub for business professionals, facilitating networking, career development, recruitment, and industry insights. With over **1 billion members across more than 200 countries and territories**, and more than 69 million registered companies, LinkedIn has become the dominant professional social network worldwide[1]. The platform's core function is connecting professionals to enhance their career opportunities, share industry knowledge, and enable companies to recruit talent efficiently. It is widely recognized for transforming how professionals build and maintain business relationships, positioning itself not just as a job board but as a comprehensive ecosystem for professional growth and corporate branding. Key achievements include its longevity and sustained growth amidst rapid technological changes, reflected in a 317% increase in search interest since 2010[1]. LinkedIn is now integral to business strategy, particularly for employer branding and thought leadership. Recent trends show an evolving algorithm that prioritizes authentic, engaging content from individuals over company pages, meaning brands must foster genuine interactions beyond their internal teams to gain visibility[2]. LinkedIn company pages are strategic assets for businesses, serving as trust-building tools and authoritative voices in their industries. Best practices in 2025 focus on optimizing pages for SEO, regional engagement, and employee advocacy to build credibility and foster meaningful connections[3]. Currently owned by Microsoft since 2016, LinkedIn continues to innovate within the professional social networking space, balancing corporate needs with authentic community engagement. It remains essential for professionals and businesses navigating the digital economy, combining networking, recruitment, and content sharing in one powerful platform.

Zoom Communications, Inc., headquartered in San Jose, California, is a leading American communications technology company primarily known for its videoconferencing application, Zoom. Founded in 2011 by Eric Yuan, a former Cisco executive, the company launched its flagship video conferencing software in 2013 with a mission to make video communication frictionless and user-friendly[1][2][3]. Zoom quickly expanded its product offerings beyond video meetings to include Zoom Chat, Zoom Webinars, Zoom Rooms, and later unified communications tools such as Zoom Phone, a VoIP service, and Zoom Contact Center. The platform emphasizes seamless collaboration by integrating meetings, phone, chat, and webinars into a single unified communications as a service (UCaaS) platform, designed to support hybrid and remote work environments[2][3][4]. The company’s growth was rapid and notable. In 2017, Zoom achieved “unicorn” status with a $1 billion valuation after raising $100 million from Sequoia Capital. It went public in April 2019, trading on NASDAQ under the ticker ZM. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom experienced an unprecedented surge, growing its daily meeting participants by 30 times between late 2019 and April 2020, becoming a critical tool for global remote work, education, and social connection[2][3]. Zoom has faced scrutiny over security and privacy but has actively addressed these concerns. The company’s innovation continued with AI-powered features, such as meeting summaries and conversation intelligence, reflecting its strategic shift to an “AI-first work platform.” In late 2024, Zoom rebranded from Zoom Video Communications, Inc. to Zoom Communications, Inc., signaling its broader vision beyond video conferencing. In 2025, it acquired the AI-powered hiring platform BrightHire, enhancing its AI capabilities further[1][3]. Zoom’s notable achievements include widespread adoption across enterprises, small businesses, and public organizations, a robust app marketplace, and a culture emphasizin

DoorDash is a leading on-demand delivery and local commerce platform founded in 2013 by Tony Xu, Andy Fang, Stanley Tang, and Evan Moore. It connects consumers with a wide range of local businesses including restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and retailers, enabling fast delivery of food, groceries, alcohol, and household essentials via its app and website[1][3]. The company operates globally, serving over 40 countries through its own operations and subsidiaries like Deliveroo and Wolt, reaching around 50 million users monthly[3]. Key to DoorDash’s success is its sophisticated logistics technology and extensive network of independent delivery drivers known as Dashers. It holds a dominant 56% market share in the U.S. food delivery space and 60% in convenience delivery, making it the largest platform in these markets[3]. Beyond consumer delivery, DoorDash has diversified its business with innovative services such as DashPass (a subscription offering for loyal customers), DoorDash Drive (a white-label logistics solution for other businesses), DashMart (virtual convenience stores operated by DoorDash), and DoorDash for Work, which provides corporate meal plans and catering[2]. These expansions broaden DoorDash’s revenue streams, making it a critical logistics partner across industries and enhancing its sustainability and profitability prospects[2]. Recent significant milestones include the $3.9 billion acquisition of UK-based Deliveroo in 2025, substantially expanding its international footprint to 40 countries, and the $1.2 billion purchase of restaurant booking platform SevenRooms[3]. DoorDash also formed a strategic partnership with Ace Hardware to deliver home improvement products, illustrating its move beyond food delivery into broader local commerce[3]. Despite its growth, DoorDash has faced legal challenges concerning worker classification, tip transparency, and data privacy[3]. Nonetheless, it continues to innovate with autonomous delivery initiatives and grocery expansions with partners like Kroger, positioning itself at the forefront of technology-driven local commerce[5]. DoorDash’s blend of technology, logistics

Crunchyroll is a leading global brand in the anime industry, known for its extensive streaming service and community engagement. Founded in 2006 by a group of University of California, Berkeley graduates, Crunchyroll initially operated as a pirate site hosting user-uploaded East Asian content. However, it transitioned into a legitimate platform by securing licensing agreements with major anime producers like TV Tokyo and Gonzo[1][2]. ### History and Key Achievements In 2008, Crunchyroll received a $4.05 million investment from Venrock, marking a significant shift towards legal content distribution[1][2]. By 2010, it had acquired the North American DVD rights to *5 Centimeters Per Second*, its first licensed DVD release[2]. Crunchyroll continued to expand, partnering with Funimation between 2016 and 2018, and later became a subsidiary of WarnerMedia before being acquired by Sony in 2020 for $1.2 billion[1][5]. ### Current Status Today, Crunchyroll is a major force in the anime industry, boasting over 60 million registered users and 2.6 million subscribers[8]. It has a library of over 1,000 titles and contributes significantly to Sony's revenue, with estimates exceeding $1 billion in 2023[3]. Crunchyroll has also expanded into new areas, such as collaborations with airlines and game developers, further solidifying its position as a global anime hub[1]. ### Notable Aspects Crunchyroll's success is attributed to its early adoption of streaming technology, pioneering long-form video delivery when such solutions were scarce[6]. The platform's commitment to community engagement and its role in promoting anime culture worldwide have made it indispensable for fans and industry professionals alike[3][7]. Under the leadership of President Rahul Purini, Crunchyroll continues to innovate and expand its offerings, ensuring its status as the ultimate destination for anime enthusiasts[7].

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a leading cloud computing platform and a subsidiary of Amazon, launched in 2006 to provide on-demand IT infrastructure services over the internet. It offers a comprehensive suite of over 240 fully featured services including computing power, storage, databases, networking, machine learning, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and security tools. AWS operates on a pay-as-you-go model, allowing customers to scale resources flexibly and cost-effectively without upfront capital expenses[1][2][3][4][7]. AWS originated from Amazon’s internal need to manage its e-commerce infrastructure efficiently and was publicly introduced with core services such as Amazon S3 (storage), Amazon EC2 (virtual servers), and SQS (messaging) in 2006. Since then, AWS has expanded globally with a vast network of data centers and continuously innovated by launching new cloud-native services, including serverless computing with AWS Lambda and fully managed machine learning platforms[2][3][6]. The platform serves a diverse customer base ranging from startups to large enterprises, governments, and non-profits worldwide. Prominent users include Netflix, Airbnb, and NASA, leveraging AWS for its reliability, scalability, security, and broad global infrastructure. AWS’s extensive product portfolio supports industries like media, manufacturing, and healthcare by enabling faster innovation, operational efficiency, and secure data management[1][4][5][6]. Key achievements of AWS include pioneering the pay-as-you-go cloud model, delivering the first cloud-native compute and storage services, and maintaining the world's largest cloud infrastructure. AWS also leads in cloud innovation by providing end-to-end machine learning suites and hybrid cloud capabilities, continuously staying ahead of emerging technology trends[3][6][7]. Today, AWS remains the most broadly adopted cloud platform globally, empowering customers to build virtually anything they imagine with unmatched cloud resources, security, and global reach[1][6].