Introduction to troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to solving a problem. The goal of troubleshooting is to determine why something does not work as expected and explain how to resolve the problem. Problem determination is the process of determining why a product does not function as it is designed to function.

The following information is an introduction to the general troubleshooting process. It provides troubleshooting guidelines for the problems that we might experience with ISIM.

• Resources and techniques for identifying and resolving problems with ISIM deployments.
• Information about how to resolve errors that are caused by improper setup, installation, configuration, and operation procedures.
• Steps and tools for gathering detailed trace information for determining the source of problems that cannot be resolved through routine investigation.

To resolve a problem with ISIM, distinguish between the expected product response and the actual response. Most problems are preceded by symptoms, such as:

• An error message that is logged during installation
• An unanticipated error message that is displayed in the console
• Slow response intervals during normal processing

When we see a symptom, we might take one or both of the following actions to isolate the symptom and resolve the problem:

• Interpret a message about the symptom and make a minor adjustment
• Use special tools to isolate the symptom

• Minimizing error conditions
  There can be some conditions that can cause errors and unanticipated results.
• Troubleshooting installation problems
  This section describes basic steps for troubleshooting the various stages of installation and configuration.

Parent topic: Troubleshooting and support