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From Root Cause to Fix: Problem to Change

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • Why the fix goes through a change
  • How to create a change from a problem
  • How to resolve the problem after the change
  • How linked incidents are closed out

🔁 Quick look back: Last time: Problem Properties and Configuration. You learned how to configure who creates problems, what each state requires, and problems in the workspace.

1 “Just renew it now!”

Ravi could renew the certificate in ten minutes.

  • But the gateway serves every VPN user.
  • If the new certificate is wrong, nobody can connect.
  • It needs a plan, a test, a way back and an approval.

🎯 The problem: Fixing a cause changes live systems. Unplanned fixes can cause new outages.

👉 The fix: raise a change from the problem, and let the change process control the fix.

2 From problem to change

From problem to fix in four steps. 1 Grace raises normal change CHG0030045, Replace VPN gateway certificate, from PRB0040012, and the problem moves to Fix in Progress. 2 The change is planned, approved by CAB and done in the Sunday maintenance window. 3 The change is closed as successful, and VPN drops stop. 4 Grace resolves the problem with the code Fix applied, and the linked incidents are resolved and callers told.
Figure 1. The change fixes the cause. Then the problem is resolved.

📝 Note: You’ll build the change itself in the Change Types, Change Risk and Change Approvals chapters. Here you just raise it from the problem.

3 Closing it out

  1. Wait until the change is closed, and check the drops really stopped for a week.
  2. Resolve the problem with a resolution code, and notes on the fix.
  3. Resolve the incidents still waiting on Awaiting Problem, and tell each caller.
  4. Ask: could this happen to another certificate? Ravi adds every certificate’s expiry date to a tracked list.

💡 Good to know: That last step fixes the second part of the root cause: nobody was tracking expiry dates.

⭐ Remember: Problem finds the cause. Change fixes it. Then close everything out.

4 Let’s try it: raise a change from a problem

  1. Open your problem. Use the option to create a normal change from it.
  2. Short description: Replace VPN gateway certificate. Save.
  3. Check the change links back to the problem, and the problem is in Fix in Progress.
  4. Pretend the change is done: close it as successful.
  5. Resolve the problem with a code and fix notes, then resolve one linked incident.

5 Quick recap

  • Fixes to live systems go through a change
  • Raise the change from the problem, so they’re linked
  • The problem waits in Fix in Progress
  • After the change works, resolve the problem
  • Then resolve linked incidents and tell each caller

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Why not just renew the certificate straight away? Show answer

It changes a live system. It needs a plan, a test, a way back and approval.

2 Which state is the problem in while the change is done? Show answer

Fix in Progress.

3 What do you do with incidents on Awaiting Problem after the fix? Show answer

Resolve them and tell each caller.

4 How did SNWR stop other certificates expiring? Show answer

Ravi added every certificate’s expiry date to a tracked list.

Nice work! The VPN problem is fixed for good. 🎉
Next up: Change Architecture: Tables and State Model

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