Technical
Investigation

Specialized Equipment Connectivity Issue

By Michael Song

School of Medicine Logo

Situation

Several faculty members have reported an issue with the connectivity between the equipment and the data storage system.

  1. Investigate the Issue
  2. Analyze Possible Causes
  3. Test Solutions
  4. Document the Process

Goals

  • Minimize Research Disruptions

    The system is critical for research purposes being used for several faculty members.

  • Restore Faculty Confidence

    Resolving and explaining the issue will help maintain trust in the system's reliability.

  • Establish Troubleshooting Practice

    Documenting the process helps create a reference for future issues and solutions.

Investigation

Identify Equipment and System Information

  • Equipment model and firmware version
  • Operating system
  • Data storage system
  • Connection method / protocol
  • System error logs

Inquire About Details of the Issue with Faculty Members

  • Error codes / messages
  • Constant or intermittent
  • When they started experiencing the issue
  • Recreate the symptoms
  • Recent changes to the system - What has changed?

Possible Causes

1.

Hardware

Rule out any hardware problems from worn out ports to faulty components.

2.

Software

Connectivity issues can be caused by outdated drivers or incompatible software versions.

3.

Network

Check for any network interruptions, firewall rules, or configuration issues.

Narrows down the scope of the investigation.

Hardware

  • Loose Connections

    Ports and cables wear out over time.

  • Power Fluctuations

    Unstable power supply can cause equipment to malfunction or reset unexpectedly.

  • Faulty Components

    Sustained load in a research environment can damage parts and disrupt connectivity.

Hardware

Inspect Physical Components

Look for any visible damage, loose connections, or worn out cables and ports. Ensure that the power supply and cooling are functioning properly.

Check Disk Space and Drive Health

Confirm there is sufficient disk space to prevent interruptions in the data processing. Scan drive for errors.

Check the Equipment

Run manufacturer diagnostic tool. Review system logs and look for alerts or errors.

Test with Alternative Hardware

Test with different cables or ports. Access from another working system to isolate the issue. If everything works as expected, the issue may be a system or configuration problem.

Software

  • Incompatible Updates

    Automatic updates may introduce compatibility issues with existing systems.

  • Outdated Drivers

    Drivers that are not up-to-date can lead to system instability.

  • Hung Services

    Long uptimes can lead to services becoming unresponsive and crashing.

Software

Turn It Off and On Again

Resolves software issues caused by long uptimes and reinitializes processes with a clean slate.

Review Application and OS System Logs

Look for any changes made around the same time as when the issue started on the workstation.

Update Software

Applying software and device driver updates approved by the vendor can rule out compatibility issues.

Research the Knowledge Base

Consult the vendor's official documentation and support forums for known issues and solutions.

Test with a New User Profile

Reproduce the issue with a new user profile to determine if the problem is caused by software interference. If there are no software related issues, we will investigate the internal network.

Network

  • Network Interference

    Network congestion or interference can lead to issues with connectivity.

  • Misconfiguration

    Incorrect firewall rules and other network configurations can disrupt connectivity.

  • Authentication Service Issues

    Issues with authentication services can block access to network resources.

Network

Check Required Network Ports

Check if ports required by the equipment are open and configured properly.

Renew Digital Certificates and Firewall Rules

Review all digital certificates and firewall rules for traffic to route properly. Remove obsolete rules that may interfere with connectivity.

Executing Traceroute and Ping

Run a ping and traceroute to isolate the source of connectivity issues. Monitor trends of latency to identify potential congestions.

Executing Traceroute and Ping

Run a ping and traceroute to isolate the source of connectivity issues. Monitor trends of latency to identify potential congestions.

Test with Alternative Credentials

Access the system with different user credentials identify issues with user permissions or authentication.

Investigation Overview