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Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting is the art of seeking out the cause of a problem and eliminating the problem by managing or eliminating the cause. With something as complex as a computer network, the list of possible problems and causes is nearly endless. In real life, however, a large number of network problems fall into a few well defined categories. In this chapter, you learn about some of these categories. You also learn about some of the strategies and tools you can use to troubleshoot network problems.

Of course, no matter how effective you are at problem-solving, it almost always is better to avoid problems than to solve them. Chapter 8, “Managing and Securing a Microsoft Network,” discusses administration strategies that minimize the need for troubleshooting. Chapter 12, “Monitoring the Network,” discusses monitoring and record-keeping strategies that can help you identify problems when they appear. This chapter looks specifically at troubleshooting techniques for solving problems related to network cabling, adapter cards, modems, and other important connectivity components. In addition, you learn some guidelines for troubleshooting network performance problems, and you can glance over a quick summary of sources for troubleshooting information.

Chapter 13 targets the following objectives in the Troubleshooting section of the Networking Essentials exam:

Further Information