There is no other way to say it so here it is, you cannot troubleshoot a network proficiently unless you have proper training and practice.
Part of the learning process is to take a course, read, watch others and then adapt any techniques to own style. Most analysts I speak to agree that having someone show you how to do something is the best approach. No time is wasted on the history of networking or topics that don’t apply to your situation or network.
Over the years I’m sure you have found your ‘favorite’ analyst, website, youtube channel, etc where you go to get information and help. Every site and presenter will have their own style that you gravitate to.
For example there are sites that have a lot of background info, footnotes and references for you to go through when explaining a topic. These sites may even have videos that are over 30 minutes long to dig into the nitty gritty. Then there are others that are short and sweet.
One of the unique things about the conference is that attendees will see three different troubleshooting and training approaches. In this video Laura covers this point.
Attend the www.COREITPROS.com conference with Laura Chappell, Mike Pennachi, Tony Fortunato August 22 - 26, 2022
We all use software and many people assume that the software will update and ‘take care of‘ itself.
I’m sure you have gone to the effort of going to the Help->Check version menu option in your software to check as well.
I can’t tell how many times I take the extra step and manually go to the vendor’s website to find that they have more up to date software or drivers which might address any issues you may be having.
One of the highlights of working with Mike Pennachi and Laura Chappell on the Core-It Pros conference is learning new tips, tricks and sharing experiences.
I always find it fascinating that even though Mike, Laura and I have similar backgrounds, we have totally different stories to put a point across. Regardless of the story specifics, we do tend to agree on many of the basic points of troubleshooting and problem analysis. Its just that we have 3 different ways of getting there.
In this video Mike explains why he had a fire extinguisher on his desk.
Attend the www.COREITPROS.com conference with Laura Chappell, Mike Pennachi, Tony Fortunato August 22 - 26, 2022
As part of the Core-it Pros conference (www.coreitpros.com) we will have a lot of Tech Tips available for the attendees. These Tech Tips are short tactical videos and written pieces that provide the attendees with more tips, tricks, and techniques that they can add to their toolbox. These Tech Tips, in combination with the Workshops, Labs, Case studies, and General sessions will give the attendees plenty of skills to use when they get back to work.
This video is an example of the Tech Tips you can expect during the event. Tony shows you how to create a shortcut on your desktop.
I just watched this video and it felt like the kind of tech content I enjoy most: casual enough to follow over a coffee, but packed with practical ideas that made me want to pause and try things myself. What I liked right away was that it did not get lost in marketing buzzwords. The presenter focused on real-world results, showing the actual setup, the workflow, and the small technical details that usually get skipped in shorter videos. It came across less like a polished ad and more like a fellow tech enthusiast sharing what worked and what did not.
As I watched, I found myself thinking about how many of these concepts apply to my own home lab and networking projects. The video walks through the process step by step, explaining not only what to configure but also why those choices matter. I appreciated the attention given to troubleshooting, performance considerations, and the little tweaks that can make a setup more stable. Those are the parts I usually learn the most from because they mirror the issues we run into in real environments.
One thing that stood out to me was the balance between simplicity and technical depth. The presenter avoided overwhelming jargon, yet still discussed the underlying technology enough that I felt I was learning something meaningful. Whether it was networking behavior, system configuration, or performance tuning, the explanations were practical and easy to connect to everyday IT work. It reminded me that good technical content is not about sounding complicated; it is about making complicated things understandable.
I also liked the hands-on style of the demonstration. Seeing the commands, settings, and results in real time made the video feel much more authentic than a slide-based tutorial. I could imagine following along on my own equipment, which is a strong sign that the content is useful. If you enjoy experimenting with routers, servers, virtualization, Docker, or general home-lab technology, this video has the kind of practical workflow that encourages you to open a terminal and start testing.
Some people might think that walking into an unfamiliar network, with unfamiliar staff to work on an issue that has them stumped is easy. I know it’s a no-brainer when I word it that way, but that is exactly what it is like for external consultants with every engagement.
There are many layers of issues to address when you first walk into a client site but the number one priority for me is to ensure the I.T. staff understand that I am here to help. Many times I explain that the only way I can identify the root cause is with their help since I am not familiar with their network.
In this video, Laura Chappell talks about this exact issue which also helps when you work with various other departments, divisions, or subsidiaries within your current place of work.
Attend the www.COREITPROS.com conference with Laura Chappell, Mike Pennachi, Tony Fortunato August 22 - 26, 2022
