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Troubleshooting

Unit objectives Describe methods to help prioritize

network problems List basic troubleshooting steps to be

followed when working on a problem Troubleshoot various problems that

might occur in the network

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Topic A

Topic A: Assessing and responding to problems

Topic B: Troubleshooting procedures

Topic C: Troubleshooting scenarios

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Prioritizing problems

If multiple, unrelated problems are occurring on the network simultaneously, the IT professional must have the ability to prioritize them– Typically, address those items that affect

the majority of users first– Then address the problem that affects

the next largest group of people, and so on

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Prioritizing problems

After the problems have been prioritized, the user reporting the problem must be kept informed as to when the problem will be addressed

When addressing the employee who must wait to have his problem resolved:– Ensure that you’re empathetic with the

situation– Explain the reason for the delay

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Activity A-1

Discussing problem prioritization

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Topic B

Topic A: Assessing and responding to problems

Topic B: Troubleshooting procedures

Topic C: Troubleshooting scenarios

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Troubleshooting procedures

Learn as much as you can about the equipment you support

Approach the situation in a straightforward and logical manner

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Identify the exact issue When a user reports a problem on the

network or on his or her system, listen carefully to what’s being said

Ask open-ended questions Learn to recognize the relevant information

and discard the rest Try quick fixes before proceeding Make sure that you speak to users in a

professional manner Make sure that you set expectations with

the users, providing them with a timeline for correction

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Identify the affected area

This helps you:– Determine the priority of the issue– Identify whether you need assistance

from other support personnel– Get clues as to the cause of the problem

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Identify changes that have occurred

A user may have made a change to his or her system, causing problems

Changes made by the IT department might be causing problems

Approach users with tact about potential changes they’ve made

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Isolate and select the most likely cause

Attempt to isolate the source of the problem by adopting a systematic approach

Based on the type of problem:– Determine what parameters should be

eliminated first– Check whether the problem still exists– If so, eliminate the next obvious

parameter– Repeat the procedure until the problem

disappears

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Formulate an action plan

Determine the appropriate course of action that you need to take to eliminate the cause

If the problem is large enough to merit a formal plan of correction, carefully set forth a plan containing all steps necessary to correct the problem

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Implement a solution

Ensure that the operational needs of your business are met

It might be necessary to bring in a third-party service provider to assist with the repair

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Test the result

After you’ve implemented the correction, you must verify that it resolved the issue

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Identify the results of the solution

Be clear as to what the actual results of your solution are and how they affect the user, the network, and so on

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Document the problem and the solution

Documentation provides a company with trend information and a knowledge base that can be used to address future issues

You need to document– Symptoms– Cause– Resolution

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Give feedback

Make sure that the resolution doesn’t create additional problems

Verify the stability of the computing environment through follow-up with the users

Talk to the users– Check whether they’re happy with your

resolution of the problem– Continual failure to give feedback to the

user results in extreme employee distrust and dissatisfaction with the IT department

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Activity B-1

Discussing troubleshooting procedures

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Topic C

Topic A: Assessing and responding to problems

Topic B: Troubleshooting procedures

Topic C: Troubleshooting scenarios

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Troubleshooting scenarios

There are several types of problems relating to networks:– Login issues– Printing issues– File and system rights issues– Connectivity issues– Added/removed services issues

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Login issues

A network administrator can give various types of access rights to users as per requirements

One of the common problems that might arise in this regard is the inability of a user to access a shared resource

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Login issues

Inability of a user to access a shared resource

Preventing illegal attempts to access an account

Conflicts within various groups and domains

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Activity C-1

Troubleshooting the inability of a user to access a shared resource

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Activity C-2

Troubleshooting access to an account

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File and system rights issues

In a large network with a growing number of directories and files, you might face several problems on access rights

These could be related to:– Improper access permissions assigned

to directories and their subdirectories– Issues based on local access or access

over the network

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Activity C-3

Troubleshooting access permission conflicts in directories and subdirectories

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Connectivity issues

In a networked environment, connectivity failures might occur due to the following causes:– Faulty cables– Hardware failure– Problems with RAS– Compatibility issues with other operating

systems

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Activity C-4

Troubleshooting hardware problems

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Activity C-5

Troubleshooting network problems relating to remote connectivity issues

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Activity C-6

Troubleshooting a connectivity issue to a RAS server

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Activity C-7

Troubleshooting a Linux workstation in a Windows Server 2003 network

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Adding or removing services

Problems might occur in a network when services are added to or removed from the network

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Activity C-8

Troubleshooting a network problem relating to adding or removing services

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Unit summary

Described methods to help prioritize network problems

Listed basic troubleshooting steps to be followed when working on a problem

Identified the types of tools and resources available to assist in troubleshooting

Learned to troubleshoot various problems that might occur in the network