In order to troubleshoot the network for
operator or system problems; first the issue needs to be identified.
Is the problem protocol-based or a network issue? Second, identify
what parts of the network are affected and determine if problem exists
on the cabling or the workstations.
When identifying the exact issue, begin
with a broad view -- say the entire network -- and as the research is
conducted, the problem should become more isolated. When dealing with
network problems, recreating the problem can provide assistance in
learning the events that have occurred during the error. If the
problem is complex and is possible to occur in the future, recreating
the problem may be beneficial to the troubleshooter for future
reference. However, if the problem is simply to replace a NIC or a
piece of hardware, recreating the problem may not be necessary.
Isolating the cause of the problem has
two benefits. (1) If the problem is isolated to a specific area or
number of users, then the rest of the network can continue to be
functional. (2) By isolating the issue, it is easier to diagnose the
problem between three to five workstations than it is on 500
workstations.
After identifying the problem,
correcting the problem may be even more complicated. There may also be
more than one way to fix the problem. First, determine the various
methods to correct the problem; sometimes a problem can be temporarily
patched or a software patch can also provide a temporary fix. There is
also a possibility that when the problem is fixed, another problem
will arise because of the fix.
Proper documentation (journals,
equipment logs) and feedback, such as methods used to contain the
problem and additional comments, can be helpful should the problem
arise in the future.
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