Choose the Start➪Shut Down command from the taskbar. Select the Restart option and then click OK.

Looking at Event Logs One of the most useful troubleshooting techniques for diagnosing network problems is to review the network operating system’s built-in event logs. These logs contain information about interesting and potentially troublesome events that occur during the daily operation of your network. Ordinarily, these logs run in the background, quietly gathering information about network events. When something goes wrong, you can check the logs to see whether the problem generated a noteworthy event. In many cases, the event logs will contain an entry that pinpoints the exact cause of the problem and suggests a solution. To display the event logs in a Windows server, use the Event Viewer available from the Administrative Tools menu. For example, Figure 17-4 shows an Event Viewer from a Windows Server 2003 system. The tree listing on the left side of the Event Viewer lists five categories of events that are tracked: Application events, Security events, System events, Directory Service events, and File Replication Service events. Select one of these options to see the log that you want to view. For details about a particular event, double-click the event; this action displays a dialog box that has detailed information about the event. Documenting Your Trials and Tribulations Even if you have a small network, I suggest that you keep a log of all the prob- lems you experience with your network and how you solved each problem. Record the details of both the problem and the solution as specifically as possible. You’ll be amazed at how useful this log can be. Not surprisingly, Figure 17-4: Event logs keep track of interesting and potentially troublesome events. 236 Part III: Network Management For Dummies most network problems fall into patterns as users encounter the same or similar problems over and over again. Often, the true solution to a problem doesn’t become obvious until after you think you’ve fixed the problem two or three times. Or maybe four or five times For a large network, you’ll probably want to invest in problem management software that tracks each problem through the entire process of trouble- shooting, from initial report to final resolution. For small- and medium-sized networks, it’s probably sufficient to put together a three-ring binder with pre- printed forms. Or, record your log in a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. Regardless of how you track your network problems, the tracking log should include the following information: ⻬ The real name and the network username of the person reporting the problem. ⻬ The date the problem was first reported. ⻬ An indication of the severity of the problem. Is it merely an inconve- nience, or is a user unable to complete his or her work because of the problem? Does a workaround exist? ⻬ The name of the person assigned to resolve the problem. ⻬ A description of the problem. ⻬ A list of the software involved, including versions. ⻬ A description of the steps taken to solve the problem. ⻬ A description of any intermediate steps that were taken to try to solve the problem, along with an indication of whether those steps were “undone” when they didn’t help solve the problem. ⻬ The date the problem was finally resolved. 237

Chapter 17: Network Troubleshooting