Support L1 Expectations

L1 Expectations

In the real world, the best L1 techs are the ones who know exactly when to stop tinkering and start escalating with a clear set of notes. You’ve just spent hours doing L3 network engineering in a complex VM subnet environ with server 2022, win1o and win11 VMs; now let’s get back to the bread-and-butter tasks that will actually be on your job test.

Here is a list of common L1 faults you are expected to resolve. If these don't work within 15–20 minutes, you document and escalate.

1. Account & Access Issues

• Password Resets: The #1 L1 task. Using Active Directory Users and Computers to unlock accounts or reset expired passwords.
• Account Lockouts: Identifying why an account keeps locking (usually a forgotten tablet or a saved credential on a phone).
• MFA / 2FA Resets: Helping a user register a new phone for Microsoft Authenticator or Duo.

2. Physical & Connectivity "Quick Fixes"

• Peripheral Failure: Keyboard, mouse, or docking station not responding (The fix: Reseating cables or power-cycling the dock).
• Monitor Issues: "My screen is black" (The fix: Checking input sources or pressing Win + P to extend the display).
• Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: Disabling Wi-Fi to force a faster Ethernet connection or "Forgetting" a network to fix a credential loop.

3. Software & OS Gremlins

• Outlook Profile Corruption: Outlook is hanging or won't open. (The fix: Creating a new Mail Profile in Control Panel).
• Printer "Ghost" Jobs: Clearing the Print Spooler when a document gets stuck in the queue.
• Browser Issues: Clearing cache/cookies or disabling a rogue extension that's breaking a company website.
• Slow Performance: Identifying a "memory hog" in Task Manager and killing the process.

4. File & Resource Access

• Mapping Network Drives: Manually mapping a drive (e.g., the S: drive) using \\server\share.
• Missing Folders: Checking if a user simply lost their desktop icons or if a folder's "Hidden" attribute was toggled.
• Permissions Denied: Checking if a user is in the correct Security Group in Active Directory.

? The "Escalation" Template

When you hit the wall (like we did with the Network Bridge), a pro L1 tech hands over a ticket that looks like this:

Issue: User cannot access Host file share from VM.

Investigated: Verified IP connectivity (Ping successful). DNS is resolving to the correct IP.

Attempted: Tried local account login; tried mapping by IP address. Restarted "Server" service on host.

Result: Services on host are hanging; PowerShell unresponsive.

Action: Escalating to L2/Server Team for kernel/network stack investigation.

? What would you like to practice first?

We can simulate one of these "clean" L1 tasks using your current lab without touching the networking anymore.

Would you like to try:

1. Active Directory: Creating a new user account for "Jane Doe" and setting it so she must change her password at next login?
2. Mapping a Drive: Going into your Win10 VM and mapping a "Company Data" folder that lives on the sbs server?
3. Troubleshooting: I can give you a "scenario" (e.g., "Jane says she can't print") and you tell me the first 3 things you'd check.