Identifying the Affected Area
Some computer problems are isolated to a single user in a single location; others affect several thousand users spanning multiple locations. Establishing the affected area is an important part of the troubleshooting process, and it will often dictate the strategies you use in resolving the problem.
Problems that affect many users are often connectivity issues that disable access for many users. Such problems can often be isolated to wiring closets, network devices, and server rooms. The troubleshooting process for problems that are isolated to a single user will often begin and end at that user's workstation. The trail might indeed lead you to the wiring closet or server, but that is not likely where the troubleshooting process would begin. Understanding who is affected by a problem can provide you with the first clues about where the problem exists.