Implementing Network Troubleshooting Best Practices

Correct Answer: Check connectivity between the client and server

The correct course of action for the network engineer should be to check the connectivity between the client and server. Network troubleshooting should always start from basic verification of connections and link integrity. There may be several factors causing clients not to reach the web server such as a broken cable, incorrect IP configuration, DNS issues, firewall configurations, etc. Those issues can be identified by checking the connectivity first. Upgrading server hardware, although sometimes necessary, is not the first step to consider in this context and changing the server's IP address can result in more issues rather frequently. Unplugging and replugging client devices may help in some cases if the problem is with a single client or a few clients, but if the problem persists across multiple clients, a more systemic issue is likely which can be detected by checking the connectivity.

Correct Answer: Verify the DNS server settings on the PC

The answer 'Verify the DNS server settings on the PC' is best. DNS (Domain Name System) translates domain names to IP addresses so browsers can load internet resources. If a PC has acquired an IP from the DHCP server but can't browse the internet, the issue may be DNS related. The other answers are less likely to be effective in this scenario. 'Disconnect the PC from the network' is counterproductive as the goal is to gain connectivity. 'Reconfigure the DHCP server' is unlikely to fix the issue since the PC is already acquiring an IP successfully. 'Replace the network switch' is much more drastic and costly than simply verifying or adjusting the DNS settings on the local machine.

Correct Answer: Review network logs and monitoring data

The best course of action to identify a problematic device in a network is to 'Review network logs and monitoring data'. These logs and data provide detailed insights and evidence about the performance of each device and network traffic, which will help in identifying whether there are any abnormal activities or performance drops associated with a particular device. 'Physically inspect each device' is not practical or efficient, especially in large networks. 'Replace devices one at a time' can be very time-consuming and may not solve the problem if the faulty device is not identified correctly. 'Restart the entire network' is not a recommended approach because it would disrupt all network activities and may not help in isolating the problematic device.