16.4. A Systematic Approach
Remember the fire drills that you had back in school? Form a single line, don't rush, be orderly, and don't panic! Approaching a problem on the network is very much like that. If you approach the issue stressed and in a panic, you won't be making the best decisions and can potentially make the issue worse. Besides that, no one likes working with a crab...it makes the rest of us crabby.
We are not going to use any more analogies here — let's get down to it:
Define the problem.
Consider the constants.
Determine the issue.
Determine and test a solution.
Reach a resolve and initiate.
Monitor the results.
Have a beer.
16.4.1. Defining the Problem
With the exception of the moment that you first notice something is wrong, the most logical step to take when you first step up to fix an issue on the LAN is to precisely define the problem.
Narrow down where the problem exists. When gathering information, you may want to ask a few questions. How many users are affected? What is the impact? It's your opportunity to play detective and investigate. Most organizations have populated and busy networks that are the meat and potatoes of the business. You need to isolate the problem not only to help you define what it is, but also to keep it from spreading to other segments of the network.
Additionally, don't always believe everything you hear. A person may make an assumption about something and will provide you more of an opinion than an explanation. This is not to say that ...
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