Overview

From error to error, one discovers the entire truth.

Sigmund Freud

Creating a network can be as simple as connecting two Tru64 UNIX systems with a single cross-connect cable. If that was all there was to it, there really wouldn't be very much to troubleshoot. In real life, even the average home office worker has a much more complex setup, often consisting of multiple hubs, a router, and a firewall. Any decent-sized organization today has a very sophisticated and complex set of communications gear and host systems to contend with. Networking, by its very nature, tends to involve a number of diverse people and organizations, all with their own sets of expectations and desires. In this type of environment, troubleshooting a network problem can be a very complex and involved process. It would be easy to spend many pages discussing different networking troubleshooting topics; whole books have been written on just this topic. To stay within the scope of this book, we'll confine our discussion to network issues that are directly related to Tru64 UNIX.

When the users on your system report a network problem, it would be nice to know first, if the problem is on your system, and second, if there is something you can do about it. If your investigation of a problem reveals that the issue is with another network or host, then your task is essentially done once you have forwarded the issue to the responsible person or organization. Your remaining involvement may simply...