Introduction

If we worked and operated in a perfect world, we would be able to set up machines, networks, and applications and have them run flawlessly for long periods of time without any need to troubleshoot or repair problems with configuration, hardware, or applications. However, in your world, this is not a condition that occurs, or it occurs at best infrequently. We must be able to find and repair the problems that do occur as efficiently as possible. To this end, in this chapter we examine a number of different areas of troubleshooting, the tools to accomplish the troubleshooting tasks, and resources that are available to provide accurate and timely information about different troubleshooting areas.

Troubleshooting Resources

Before you can make an accurate diagnosis of a problem while troubleshooting, you must have good and accessible information. This information must be laid out in a fashion that allows you to retrieve the answers to your questions, and you must follow a good path to obtain this information. The basic troubleshooting model includes a number of steps toward success:

• Document the problem (ask appropriate questions)

• Verify the problem (is it repeatable?)

• Isolate symptoms (remember that the symptom may not reflect the true cause)

• Narrow the search to the cause

• Search the available resources (many of which are detailed in the sections that follow)

• Repair the problem

• Verify the repair

• Document the results

Following this type of troubleshooting methodology will allow you to effectively use the resources at your disposal and restore your...