BONUS. Lessons from the Crowdstrike Outage
Modern Industrialist Podcast
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The episode:
What lessons can manufacturing professionals learn from Friday’s Crowdstrike catastrophe?
We give an overview of what happened and what it can teach the manufacturing community about best practices in the software development process.
We also explain what incident response should look like in these situations.
This episode is for manufacturing executives who need to have a basic understanding of these threats, how to prevent them, and how to respond to them.
The podcast:
Presented by TXI, The Modern Industrialist Podcast is for technology-focused manufacturing and logistics leaders looking to gain a competitive edge with Industry 4.0 transformation. Join our host Jason Hehman as he brings together experts from companies blazing the path for the IIoT revolution. Topics range from advice to success stories, use cases, solutions, and more.
The expert:
Podcast Host: Jason Hehman, Industry 4.0 Vertical Lead and Client Partner at TXI
Co-host: Patrick Turley, Head of Engineering at TXI
Book a meeting with Jason
Summary and themes explored in this episode:
Introduction and Background:
Host introduction by Jason Hehman, vertical lead for Industry 4.0 at TXI, and guest Patrick Turley, head of engineering at TXI.
Explanation of the podcast's purpose: to navigate the digital revolution reshaping the industrial sector.
Immediate dive into the main topic: the largest IT outage in history.
Incident Overview:
The outage occurred on Friday, July 19, due to a faulty update pushed by CrowdStrike.
Impact on Windows systems, while Mac and Linux systems were unaffected.
Description of CrowdStrike's role and their work with Fortune 500 companies.
Global Impact:
Major disruptions in banking, DMV services, digital displays, and particularly air travel.
Delta and other airlines faced significant challenges, with ongoing issues as of the recording date.
Broader supply chain impacts, including trucking, rail, and ocean carriers.
Personal Anecdotes and Initial Reactions:
Turley's personal experience: a canceled trip to Mexico due to the outage.
Descriptions of the eerie atmosphere at airports and other public spaces affected by the outage.
Comparisons to a scene from the movie "Shaun of the Dead."
Root Causes and Best Practices:
Discussion on the rapid rollout of updates and the lack of manual oversight.
Importance of release protocols that involve staggered updates and extensive testing.
CrowdStrike’s expected approach to post-mortem analysis and process improvement.
Meme Culture and Public Perception:
Mention of humorous memes created in response to the outage.
Acknowledgement that the issue is not the fault of a single engineer but a systemic process failure.
Software Development Lifecycle:
Explanation of typical software development processes, including testing in non-production environments.
Importance of capturing forensic data during crises to understand root causes.
The role of automated testing and gradual rollouts in preventing widespread issues.
Complexity of Remediation:
Challenges in fixing the outage, including multiple system reboots and manual interventions.
Insights into the intricacies of IT systems in industries like airlines.
Managing Post-Crisis Analysis:
Steps to address an IT crisis: stop the bleeding, capture forensic data, conduct root cause analysis.
Long-term process improvements to prevent future incidents.
Future Preparedness:
Discussion on whether large IT outages will become more frequent due to systemic changes.
The potential impact of AI in software development and the risks of over-reliance on generative AI.
Importance of maintaining a balance between cutting-edge updates and stable, secure practices.
Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement:
Emphasis on the need for diligent update practices and learning from past incidents.
Invitation for listener feedback and engagement through LinkedIn.
Call to subscribe to the podcast for ongoing discussions on industrial innovation and supply chain trends.
Produced by NOVA Media
Published by Jason Hehman , Patrick Turley in podcasts
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