background image
Common Novell Troubleshooting Issues
495
Remember to use the undebug all or no debug commands to shut down
debug sessions. Failure to shut down debug sessions can cause performance
degradation.
Common Novell Troubleshooting Issues
Standard troubleshooting procedures can and should be used when
approaching a NetWare-related issue, as they would be used for any other
network problem. This includes identifying and defining the problem, fact
gathering, assessing possible solutions, creating an action plan, and imple-
menting that plan. Based on the results, the problem may be resolved, new
information may be added to the assessment, or another action plan may be
needed.
There are some common issues that present themselves in NetWare net-
works, however. For example, the router may not correctly propagate SAP
updates, which are very important in NetWare. Causes for this may include
access lists, duplicate network numbers, incorrect frame types, timing prob-
lems, or incorrectly set timers.
Although the debug and show commands can provide a great deal of
information that is useful for resolving the problem, protocol analyzers and
knowledge of the server and client platforms should also be used to provide
rapid resolutions.
In NetWare, most problems can be isolated by doing the following:
Check the client configuration. This includes the frame type, hardware
(IRQ/DMA settings), and physical connectivity.
Review the router and any local server configurations. Although this
chapter focuses on Cisco routers, it is important to confirm the inter-
nal and external IPX network numbers on the server, in addition to
the frame type. Novell documentation addresses other concerns,
including network interface cards, overloaded processors, licenses,
and drive space. All should be included in the troubleshooting process.
Copyright ©2000 SYBEX , Inc., Alameda, CA
www.sybex.com