It is a very difficult task to troubleshoot and diagnose a network problem in your enterprise network. There can be multiple branch offices. Thus, there can be thousands of hosts, hundreds of servers, switches, and routers. There are many things that can go wrong in your network. Thus, it can be very difficult to troubleshoot a network problem. There is a simple methodology that network engineers follow for troubleshooting network problems. You can use this methodology for solving network problems. In this article, we are going to share some tips that will help you in quickly diagnosing enterprise network problems.
Knowing from where to start:
If you already know about the network structure, then you can easily find the issue. In some networks, the majority of network issues actually come from some network operation. This will ensure that your network admin can quickly troubleshoot the issue. They will already know how to fix the problem. Network admins can still find the problem even if they are not familiar with the network.
The first step is to define the network problem. You can’t troubleshoot a network error without defining it first. If your users can’t connect to your file server, then that will be your network problem. In most cases, you will automatically understand the issue. However, in some cases, you need to troubleshoot without a clear issue.
After that, you should gather data from the affected systems or users. For example, if your users can’t connect to a server, then you should ask basic questions from them. Other users might be experiencing the same issue. If everyone is facing the same issue, then there is an issue in your network. However, sometimes issues will be isolated to some systems only. Thus, you don’t need to worry about addressing the entire network. Gathering information will help you in simplifying the troubleshooting process. This data will help network admins during the troubleshooting process. They can find the steps that will help them in saving the problem.
Gather data with traceroute and ping:
The traceroute and ping tools will also provide important information to your network admins. You can gather a lot of data by using these two commands.
For example, suppose only one user is facing some network problem. You can use the ping command for collecting data and isolating the problem. This command will simply send a packet from the system to the network. Sometimes firewalls can prevent the ping request from reaching a server or host. Thus, this command might have limited usage in a WAN interface.
Traceroute or tracert is another very powerful command. It will send a packet to the host. Also, it will report the steps that it took during the journey. If the packet can’t reach the destination, then it will report back to the user. This can help you in finding the root cause of the problem.
Analyzing the data:
You need to first gather all the relevant information. After that, you should analyze this data. This will help you in troubleshooting network problems. Sometimes this data will be complex. You can’t start working on the problem without analyzing this data.
Divide and Conquer approach:
If you have access to limited information, then this is the perfect methodology for you. It will start from the network layer and then works outward. The traceroute and ping commands are going to play an important role in this approach. If the ping command is not working, then the problem is in at layer 3 or below. However, if it is working properly, then the problem is in the upper network layer.
Top or Bottom Down Solution:
These methods are simple to execute. You will either start at the top of the network model or from the bottom. However, you need to gather sufficient information for this solution. You might start examining the wrong network layer if you don’t have enough information. Due to this, you might need to work more. You should gather and analyze data before applying this solution.
Improvisation:
There are many methods that come under this category. This type of method is used when you have gathered enough information. If you are facing a very specific issue, then you should use this method. This method can help you in saving a lot of time. You won’t waste your time in finding issues. It will ensure that you can directly work on the main issue.
Being Flexible:
Every network is going to be different. Thus, network admins should be flexible. They should be comfortable with every network environment. This will help you in quickly fixing network issues. A well-documented troubleshooting plan will help network admins in quickly fixing network problems. However, you should be flexible. It will ensure that you can speed up your response time. You should know about the procedures that you need to follow. This will help you in maintaining large networks.
Address old or recurring problems:
Every network will face some errors. However, if some issue is constantly coming up, then you should look for a permanent fix. It can lead to a more serious network issue. For example, if some of your routers are failing, then you should replace them. You should go for a permanent solution. The best way to solve a problem is by avoiding it. You can avoid recurring problems by going for a permanent fix.
Network monitoring:
There are various network monitoring services and tools in the market. They will help you in monitoring and diagnosing your network problems. There are also various open-source tools available in the market. Thus, even startups can use these tools. These tools will help your network admins in quickly solving network problems. You can save a lot of time and human resources by using these tools and services.
Conclusion
It can be very difficult to manage a large network. Thus, you should consider working with a good MSP. Experienced MSPs like Bleuwire will remove the burden from your IT network team. They will help you in quickly solving your network problems. Also, they will regularly monitor your network for issues. If you need more tips regarding network troubleshooting, then you can contact Bleuwire.
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