Jake IT - Fault Finding Methodology.
What exactly is not working? Who is affected? When did it last work? What changed recently? What DOES still work?
Map the System: Login issues are in the Authentication path.
Internet issues are in the Network path.
Application failures are in the Dependency path.
Ask; what components are involved? What talks to what?
What must succeed for the overall function?
3 Trust the test data over intuition. Prevent pre-bias model fixation as the cause
4 Scope reduction – is one user or many affected?
5 Change one thing at a time, log it so you know what you did, then test the change.
6 Authentication flow is: Client > Auth Provider Service > Policy Token granted or not.
7 Assume the system WORKS! Suspect an incorrect config first: Firewall error? Policy? Location (IP block?)? Network Trust issue?
8 Document while testing: Symptoms > Tests > Results. What has been ruled? Review plan.
9 Slow down when things get odd: Is it multiple fails, an edge case, bad assumptions? Hidden dependencies? Still not solved? Redefine the system, the problem, then remap the system.
Summary:
Define the fault clearly.
Use a Map the System mindset
Trust the data
Reduce the scope
Test deliberately, don´t guess.
Follow the process directionality
Respect the config logic.