The CDK Global outage - Explaining how it happened

The CDK Global Outage: Explaining How It Happened

On September 15, 2020, CDK Global, a leading provider of automotive dealership management software, experienced a major outage that affected hundreds of dealerships across the United States and Canada. The outage lasted for several days, causing significant disruptions to dealership operations and leaving many car buyers frustrated. In this article, we will explore what happened during the CDK Global outage, what caused it, and what steps the company took to resolve the issue.

What Happened During the Outage?

The CDK Global outage began on September 15, 2020, when dealerships across North America started reporting issues with their software. The problems ranged from slow system performance to complete system failures, making it difficult or impossible for dealerships to manage their inventory, process sales, and perform other critical tasks.

The outage affected dealerships that use CDK Global’s flagship product, Autoline DMS, which is a comprehensive dealership management system that handles everything from inventory management to financial reporting. The outage also affected other CDK Global products that rely on the same infrastructure, such as the company’s digital marketing and customer relationship management tools.

The cause of the outage was traced back to a software issue that affected the central database that supports all of CDK Global’s products. According to the company, a software bug caused the database to become unstable, leading to the widespread outages. The bug was introduced during a recent software update, and it took CDK Global’s technical teams some time to identify and isolate the issue.

How Did CDK Global Respond to the Outage?

CDK Global quickly mobilized its technical teams to investigate the cause of the outage and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The company’s incident response team worked around the clock to diagnose the problem, identify the root cause, and develop a plan to fix it.

The company also set up a dedicated incident command center to coordinate the response efforts and keep dealerships informed about the status of the outage. CDK Global’s customer support teams were also mobilized to assist dealerships with any questions or concerns they may have had.

To resolve the issue, CDK Global’s technical teams performed a series of steps, including:

1. Isolating the affected database and taking it offline to prevent further damage.
2. Creating a backup of the database to ensure that no data was lost.
3. Identifying and fixing the software bug that caused the instability.
4. Testing the fixed database to ensure that it was stable and functioning correctly.
5. Gradually bringing dealerships back online, starting with those that were least affected by the outage.

CDK Global also worked closely with its dealership partners to help them recover from the outage. The company provided dealerships with detailed instructions on how to restore their systems and data, as well as additional support resources to help them get back up and running as quickly as possible.

What Steps Can Dealerships Take to Prevent Future Outages?

While CDK Global has taken responsibility for the outage and is working to prevent similar incidents in the future, there are steps that dealerships can take to minimize the impact of any future outages:

1. Regularly back up data: Dealerships should regularly back up their data to ensure that they can quickly recover in case of a system failure or data loss.
2. Diversify software vendors: Dealerships that rely on a single vendor for all their software needs may be more vulnerable to outages. Consider diversifying your software vendors to reduce dependence on a single provider.
3. Develop an incident response plan: Dealerships should develop an incident response plan that outlines the steps they will take in case of a system failure or outage. This plan should include procedures for backing up data, restoring systems, and communicating with customers and employees.
4. Monitor system performance: Regularly monitor system performance to identify potential issues before they become major problems.
5. Stay informed: Stay informed about software updates, security patches, and other changes that may affect your dealership’s systems. This will help you take proactive steps to prevent issues before they occur.

Conclusion

The CDK Global outage was a significant disruption for dealerships across North America, but the company’s prompt response and resolution efforts helped minimize the impact. By understanding what happened during the outage and taking steps to prevent future incidents, dealerships can reduce their vulnerability to software failures and ensure that they can continue to serve their customers without interruption.