Symptom: The application the user is trying to open may alert that it cannot connect to the application server. This can be the case when using e-mail applications or CRM Applications. The common complaint into the help desk is that the network is down, even though this is not the true problem. Cause: Several things can cause this event. The key question to ask the user is whether this problem happens constantly or only sporadically. If the user has a proper IP address for the connection they are on, there may be a routing issue on the network between the user and server. This can be verified with a simple ping. If connectivity is lost sporadically, this can be caused by a busy server that is not responsive to client requests.
Resolution: In the case that routing is not the issue (ping test), check the server load and resources. Is the server busy running another task such as a backup? If this is not the case, check the network load between client and server, focusing on WAN connections if there are any. Often, periods of high network utilization between client and server can cause connectivity problems for the client. The best way to do this is by using an SNMP tool that will monitor utilization over time on these links. Additionally, look for Ethernet Errors on all switches and routers that cause packet loss between client and server.
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