How can you troubleshoot networks remotely or on the cloud?

1 Ping and traceroute

Ping and traceroute are two of the most basic and widely used network troubleshooting tools. They allow you to test the connectivity and latency between your device and a target host, and to trace the route and hops that your packets take along the way. Ping sends a series of echo requests to the target host and measures the time it takes for the echo replies to come back. Traceroute sends packets with increasing TTL (time to live) values and records the IP addresses of the routers that send back TTL expired messages. By using ping and traceroute, you can check if the target host is reachable, identify where the packets are dropped or delayed, and locate potential network problems.

2 Remote desktop and SSH

Remote desktop and SSH are two methods that enable you to access and control another device remotely. Remote desktop allows you to view and interact with the graphical user interface (GUI) of the remote device, while SSH allows you to execute commands and transfer files using a secure shell (SSH) protocol. Both methods require that you have the credentials and permissions to log in to the remote device, and that the device is configured to accept remote connections. By using remote desktop and SSH, you can perform various network troubleshooting tasks, such as checking the device status, configuration, logs, and performance, running diagnostic commands, updating software, and restarting services.

3 Network monitoring and analysis tools

Network monitoring and analysis tools are applications that collect, display, and analyze network data and statistics. They can help you monitor the health, performance, and security of your network, as well as identify and troubleshoot network issues. Some examples of network monitoring and analysis tools are Wireshark, Nmap, Nagios, Zabbix, and SolarWinds. These tools can provide you with various features and functions, such as packet capture and inspection, port scanning, network mapping, alerting, reporting, and visualization. By using network monitoring and analysis tools, you can gain insight into the network traffic, bandwidth, latency, errors, protocols, devices, and services on your network, and pinpoint the root causes of network problems.

4 Cloud-specific tools and services

Cloud-specific tools and services are those that are designed or provided by the cloud providers or platforms that host your network. They can help you manage, configure, monitor, and troubleshoot your network resources and services on the cloud. Some examples of cloud-specific tools and services are AWS VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), Azure Network Watcher, Google Cloud Network Intelligence Center, and Cloudflare. These tools and services can offer you various capabilities and benefits, such as creating and managing virtual networks, subnets, gateways, and firewalls, monitoring and logging network activity and performance, testing and verifying network connectivity and security, and resolving network issues and incidents. By using cloud-specific tools and services, you can leverage the features and advantages of the cloud platform for your network troubleshooting needs.

Troubleshooting networks remotely or on the cloud can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding and efficient. By using the tools and techniques discussed in this article, you can diagnose and resolve network issues effectively and confidently. However, these are not the only tools and techniques available, and you may need to use different or additional ones depending on your network environment and requirements. Therefore, it is important to keep learning and updating your network troubleshooting skills and knowledge as a network engineer.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?