An architecture for inter-domain troubleshooting

We explore the constraints of a new problem: that of coordinating network troubleshooting among peer administrative domains and untrusted observers. Allowing untrusted observers permits any entity to report problems, whether it is a network operations center (NOC), end-user, or application. Our goals are to define the inter-domain coordination problem clearly, and to develop an architecture which allows observers to report problems and receive timely feedback, regardless of their own locations and identities. By automating this process, we also relieve human bottlenecks at help desks and NOCs whenever possible. We present a doubleshooting methodology for coordinating problem diagnosis, and describe GDT, a distributed protocol which realizes this methodology