Step 1 – Identify the Problem

Troubleshooting always starts with disciplined discovery. Before you change anything, capture a clear picture of what the user is experiencing, what has changed, and how widespread the disruption might be.

Gather the Story

• Clarify the symptoms. Ask the user to describe exactly what is happening (for example, “The internet will not load on any browser.”).
• Capture timing details. When did the issue begin? Has it happened before? Is it intermittent or constant?
• Collect environment data. What applications, devices, or locations are affected? Are other users or departments seeing the same problem?

Establish the Baseline

• Before vs. after. Document what worked prior to the incident and what changed immediately afterward.
• Recent changes. Note software updates, new hardware, configuration modifications, or environmental events (power outage, moves, construction).
• User actions. Determine whether the user attempted any self-remediation, such as rebooting gear or swapping cables.

Scope the Impact

• Isolate the audience. Identify whether the problem affects a single endpoint, an entire VLAN, a site, or remote clients only.
• Check dependencies. Validate upstream services (ISP status, cloud provider health dashboards, or SaaS outage notices) to understand whether the root cause might be external.

Collect Objective Data

• Inspect and listen. Look for link lights, warning LEDs, fans that are not spinning, unusual noises, or burning smells.
• Review logs and monitors. Export relevant entries from event logs, syslog, or monitoring dashboards while the symptoms are present.
• Preserve evidence. Take screenshots or gather error codes so nothing is lost once remediation begins.

Protect the Environment

• Back up first. Capture configurations, system state, or critical data before applying changes.
• Document findings. Write down the questions asked, the answers received, and any assumptions you make so later steps stay grounded in facts.

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✅ Exam Tip: When a question asks for the first troubleshooting action, the correct response is almost always to gather information before swapping hardware or reconfiguring devices.