Networking Cisco Routers And Switches:

Online Resources For Cisco Troubleshooting

By Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

Fortunately, we're not alone in our network documentation battle!   Cisco offers a set of planning and problem-solving tools, the Connectivity Tools, that can help greatly in creating comprehensive network documentation and baselines.The Connectivity Tools have two major components, the Connectivity Baseliner and the Connectivity Solver.   The names are pretty much the recipe, as the Connectivity Baseliner helps create a network baseline through the following components:

The Connectivity Solver is unique in that it will both simulate and troubleshoot "what would happen if..." situations.  It's a good way to avoid problems before they actually occur by programming the Connectivity Solver with any changes you're planning to make on your network.  Basically, you simulate your network with the Connectivity Solver and make changes to that simulated network before making changes to the real thing!

In a similar vein, modeling tools do much the same thing - you simulate network designs and changes before performing them for real.  Cisco's Netsys product is just one example of network modeling software.

Cisco TAC

The Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) is Cisco's tech support center, and they've got some very talented people working there.  Before you pick up the phone to call the TAC, though, you should do your best to resolve the problem and document each step along the way.  One of the first things the TAC will do is ask what you've done so far to resolve the issue, and giving them an accurate answer is a huge step toward getting the problem resolved.

If you're used to "tech support" where calls are prioritized by the order in which they come in, the TAC will open your eyes!  Cisco's TAC uses four priority levels to determine which cases should be handled first:

Priority 1:  The network is down, no workaround available, and business processes are at a critical stage.

Priority 2:  The network is badly degraded, business processes are impacted, and no workaround is possible.

Priority 3:  Network is degraded, but business processes are working for the most part.

Priority 4:  Basic support call for installation or configuration, or information on Cisco products.

Once you open a case with the TAC, you can check the status of your cases online with the Cisco TAC Case Query tool.  This is an interactive tool which allows you to update the status of the case from your end without placing additional phone calls to TAC.  It's also a faster way to let your TAC engineer know how your cases are proceeding.

Cisco Bug Watcher & IOS Planner

If you really think there's an undocumented bug in the IOS version you're using, Bug Watcher can help.  Bug Watcher is part of the Software Bug Toolkit available at Cisco Connection Online (CCO).  A CCO login is required.  CCO user registration isn't open to everyone, though - you'll need your company's service contract number to sign up.  Definitely worth it, though!  (You can log in as a guest, but you will not have access to all CCO features.)

Another great online Cisco feature is the IOS Planner.  You can indicate the features that you need and don't need, and the Planner will help you select the appropriate IOS.  It's all part of the Cisco online Software Center, and you'll definitely need a CCO user login to get in there.

Cisco NetPro

Cisco's Networking Professional Connection (NetPro) is an online forum for Cisco engineers.  There are forums there for every Cisco technology, and if you just can't find the answer to a question or network issue yourself, someone there has probably seen it and knows how to help. 

To your success,

Chris Bryant

CCIE #12933

chris@thebryantadvantage.com