AstroTech Components, a company that manufactures parts for the aeronautics industry, is having trouble with a network segment in one of its depart-ments. Its IT director has asked you for help. The network consists of 300 workstations using a mix of client OSs and connecting to both UNIX and Windows Server 2003 servers via Ethernet 100Base-T. The department experiencing problems is the CAD/CAM group, which had fought for months to get newer, more powerful workstations. Now that the technicians finally installed the more powerful workstations, however, the users can't access the network. You ask what kind of network they are on, and the IT director says that this group was upgraded to lOGBase-T, along with two other groups, just yesterday, because these users needed the extra speed. When you ask whether all users are affected, she says that everyone—even the department vice president, who has full rights to the network—is prevented from logging on. You suspect that the CAD/CAM users' network access is the problem. What steps do you take next?
Read your book
To troubleshoot the network segment issue in the CAD/CAM group, follow these steps:
1. Check Physical Connection: Ensure that all the workstations in the CAD/CAM group are physically connected to the network. Verify that the Ethernet cables are properly plugged into the network switch or hub.
2. Verify IP Configuration: Check the IP configurations of the CAD/CAM workstations. Make sure they have valid IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, and DNS server settings. You can do this by accessing the network adapter settings on each workstation.
3. Test Connectivity: Use the Ping command to test network connectivity between the CAD/CAM workstations and the network resources such as servers and other workstations. Ping both the IP addresses and hostnames of the servers and see if there are any successful responses.
4. Check Network Infrastructure: Check the network infrastructure devices, including switches, routers, and servers, to ensure they are properly functioning. Look for any network congestion or hardware failures that may be impacting the network connectivity.
5. Review Network Configuration Changes: Since the CAD/CAM group was upgraded to lOGBase-T, check the network configuration changes that were made during the upgrade. Verify that the necessary VLANs, subnets, and routing configurations are properly implemented.
6. Investigate Network Addressing Conflicts: Check for any IP address conflicts within the CAD/CAM group. Two devices with the same IP address can cause network connectivity issues. Use an IP scanner tool to identify any duplicate IP addresses.
7. Examine Network Permissions: Review the permissions and security settings on the CAD/CAM workstations and servers. Ensure that the users, including the department vice president, have the necessary rights and permissions to access the network resources.
8. Analyze Network Traffic: Use network monitoring tools to analyze the network traffic in the CAD/CAM segment. Look for any abnormal or excessive traffic that may be causing congestion or disruptions. Identify any potential bandwidth-intensive applications that could be affecting network performance.
9. Consult Network Documentation: Review the network documentation, including network diagrams and configuration files, to identify any potential misconfigurations or inconsistencies. Compare the current configuration with the documented configuration to pinpoint any discrepancies.
10. Engage IT Support: If the issue persists and you are unable to resolve it, involve the IT support team or network administrators who have expertise in troubleshooting network problems. Provide them with all the details and information gathered during your investigation to assist in the resolution.
Remember to document all the steps taken and any changes made during the troubleshooting process, as this information will be valuable for future reference and troubleshooting efforts.