Introduction to NonStop Operations Management

Problem Management
Introduction to NonStop Operations Management–125507
6-15
Determining the Cause and Resolving the Problem
•
The temporary workers often neglect to power down the terminals after their shift,
leaving the terminals on overnight. (This has been against company policy, since the
start of the energy conservation program.)
•
In both situations, the terminals were plugged in and the cable connections were
solid.
Determining the Cause and Resolving the Problem
After evaluating the problem symptoms and studying the system configuration, the
operator develops a list of possible causes for the unresponsive terminals. Using the
problem-solving worksheet to compare the symptoms against the possible causes, the
operator suspects a stopped or suspended TACL process to be the most likely cause. The
following table shows how the operator arrives at this decision:
The operator suspects that the new temporary workers, not familiar with TACL, entered
EXIT at the TACL prompt at the end of their evening shift, thereby stopping the local
TACL process and locking up their terminals. Employees beginning their shift the next
morning were unable to access the terminals.
After verifying with the manager that this was indeed what happened, the operator
restarts the TACL processes for each terminal. To prevent this problem from occurring
again, the operator suggests to the manager that TACL training be provided for new
employees.
Possible Cause Likely Cause?
Terminal
hardware
problem
Not likely. Because both terminals were unresponsive at
the beginning of the day shift but were in working order
the night before, it is unlikely that there is a hardware
problem. A self-test performed on the terminals verifies
that both are in working order.
Terminal
configuration
problem
Not likely. Because both terminals were unresponsive at
the beginning of the day shift but were in working order
the night before, it is unlikely that the terminal
configuration was changed.
Faulty
communication
lines
No. Other terminals using the same communications
lines are in working order.
Controller
malfunction
No. Other terminals using the same controller are in
working order.
TACL problem Yes. A stopped or suspended TACL process could cause
all the problem symptoms.
A problem as a
result of the
system move
No. Only one terminal ($WHS4.#TRM20) was moved
during the system move. Terminal $WHS2.#TRM7 was
not moved.