Troubleshoot
Troubleshooting is a systematical approach to problem solving. The goal of troubleshoot is to figure out why something isn’t working as it should and to explain how to fix it.
The first step in troubleshooting is to completely describe the problem.
This includes asking yourself the following basic questions:
- What are the signs of a problem?
- Where does the issue arise?
- When does the issue occur?
- What are the conditions that cause the problem?
- Is it possible to reproduce the problem?
The answers to these questions usually result in a good description of the problem, which is the best place to start when trying to solve a problem.
- What are the signs of a problem?
- The most obvious question when beginning to describe a problem is “What is the problem?”
This question may sound straightforward; yet, it can be broken down into numerous more specific inquiries that provide a more detailed view of the problem.
These inquiries may include:
- Who or what is reporting the issue?
- What are the error messages and codes?
- What causes the system to fail? Is it, for example, a loop, a hang, a crash, a performance degradation, or an incorrect result?
- What is the problem’s business impact?
- Where does the issue arise?
Determining the source of a problem is not very easy, but it is the most crucial step in problem resolution. There may be several layers of technology between the reporting and failing components.
