15.1 Perform a protocol analysis session to examine the low-layer 802.5 frame communication processes. First, start the protocol analysis session by establishing the network baseline of operations. Set up the protocol analyzer to perform a full capture. If the higher-layer protocols are clouding your testing results, you can filter them out, so as to focus more closely on the low layers. Closely examine the 802.5 low-level frame communication processes. Interrogate all the base 802.5 MAC data frames as to how they respectively correlate with the time-related Token Ring communication processes captured in the protocol analysis session. Scrutinize the current state of low-level 802.5 frame communications exchange between the network entities involved for proper and fluent protocol exchange. Specifically, if you are troubleshooting a certain network component, such as a gat eway, router, bridge, ring station, file server, network peripheral, and so on, look for the low-level 802.5 frame communication processes associated with that specific network device's Token Ring address. In other words, are there any noticeable deviations from a normal state of low-level frame communication process that may indicate a possible failure within a fault domain or a specific network component? (Refer to the Token Ring Soft Error descriptions .) Did you find any deviations from the normal state of low-level 802.5 frame communication processes that indicate a possible failure within a fault domain or a specific network component failure? Take the necessary action to resolve the problem by going to the page for that specific network component (such as 6 Ring Station Problems , 10 Network Peripheral Problems , 14 File Server Problems , and so on). If you are not completely conclusive as to a specific network component that may be related to the failure symptom, go to page 2 and troubleshoot the respective Token Ring addresses associated in the frames (that is, the possible fault domain) that deviate from the normal state of communication. If after going to the respective fault domain, network area, or network component you find a problem, resolve the problem and retest the ring by coming back to this page (15). Rerun another baseline session to test the ring. If there are no more deviations from the normal state of operations, record the problem in the network maintenance and service log. If the problem still exists after rerunning another session, go to the next step . Go to the next page, 15.2. November 15, 1996 Print This Page E-mail this URL