A network outage occurs when a computer network becomes unavailable or experiences significant disruptions, preventing users from accessing services or resources. This can happen due to various reasons, such as hardware failures, software issues, or external factors like natural disasters. During a network outage, devices like routers and switches may fail to communicate, leading to a loss of connectivity for users. Organizations often implement backup systems and recovery plans to minimize the impact of such outages and ensure that critical services remain operational whenever possible.