David Sudjiman

Listening to first part and second part video talks with Zaheer Aziz makes me even more realize that the procedure and goal of troubleshooting are important. I’m working in an area where troubleshooting is my bread and butter for 12-hour shift.

Zaheer Aziz is one of the author of the Troubleshooting IP Routing Protocols. I have not read the book as it’s not on my reading priority list but I think I really like to read it sometime when I’m ready.

Zaheer clearly stated that in the procedure of troubleshooting we need to identify what is the issue and start building up the questions from the ground zero. For example the issue is “My Internet is not working”. Let’s start defining what the “internet” is. Is that the browser that can’t go to particular website or all external website but not internal website? Is the email application still working? is this issue affecting all users in particular location or just one user? when is this issue start happening? does it work before? … etc.

We can’t just jump into the conclusion and try to reboot the router and expecting it will restore the so-called “internet connection”.

Another issue that I learn is not trying to make assumption. If you really want to make a guess, lets just prove it so that it can become a fact. Bit of a funny time when I had my customer trying to explain the issue and she keeps repeating that the network is slow because the storage is full. This conversation can go down to hell if I bought that info and assuming the customer always right.

There might be a lot more different ways to solve a network problem, but I still believe that having a good troubleshooting procedure will actually save me some time rather than guessing and hoping.