It is not as simple as pushing a button or "Gibb's slapping" the Multiple Servers -- Ancestry.com Works to Restore Access

Here's another update on Ancestry.com's recovery from the DDoS attack on Monday of its websites.

Ancestry.com is accessible now though you may experience intermittent problems with search and the trees. Some people have noted problems with image loading. My advise: Be patient and if needed click the page reload button of your browser.

Remember the advise from Ancestry.com was to clear your browser's cache and cookies and then log back into Ancestry. (You may need to restart your computer.)

The portal/access Family Tree Maker uses to sync our trees (if you have done so) has been disabled by Ancestry.com to ease traffic on the website. (I believe I read that was the reason.) So Ancestry.com is saying to change your sync from Auto to Manual and DO NOT TRY TO SYNC YOUR TREE. You should then be able to work in your program offline.  

Since Ancestry.com is advising to work offline, I am guessing that this portal/access that syncing uses is the same portal/access that FTM uses to search the Ancestry website and add records/sources while in FTM. So if you can't log into Ancestry while in FTM that is probably why.


FindaGrave.com appears to be up and running. MyCanvas.com needs more extensive work and is offline. Also, offline yet are MyFamily.com and Rootsweb. 

From what I've found, Ancestry's blog page, which is on its website, is still offline. So its open Facebook page (viewable by non-Facebook members) is the only place updates from the company are accessible. My guess this is because subscribers would prefer to have access to the records rather than the blog, it keeps the blog's open comment section inaccessible to upset customers, and if the website goes down again some communication can still get out because if the website is down then the blog is down. (Remember, if their servers go down they also can not email subscribers.)

Ancestry.com updated its Facebook posts today and created a separate page with most to its statements (in one place) regarding the attack.

So in the spirit of those "British Royal" themed signs and t-shirts on various topics, here is one for genealogy: 

Keep Calm and Research On.

By the way, a "Gibb's Slap" is from the TV show, NCIS, and refers to the character Gibb's friendly slap to the back of the head (usually the character Tony's) as a "Snap Out of It" gesture among other things.

I have three posts drafted on upcoming genealogy-related television shows, hopefully, they will be the next posts you read.

See you soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!

LE