call a special index is implemented to ensure that no entries have been missed in addition to checking that no entry is a duplicate in one embodiment 256 entries per node may be saved in a wrap around in storage area because the exemplary embodiment described pertains to a timing protocol the probe can calculate clock offsets between itself and the cecs it is probing by utilizing the timing data in the packets these calculated offsets can also be analyzed to conform to specific criteria continuing to step 65 there is depicted the step of processing the pdi results in one example implementation a process_pdi_results function is called that checks the current message in the array for a trigger condition according to the invention this real time analysis allows the probe code to inform the operator 1 whether an u2018 interesting event u2019 has occurred an u2018 interesting event u2019 is an unusual event that is not fatal to the stp network or 2 whether a u2018 catastrophic event u2019 has occurred in response to which the probe will send a message to each system in the network directing it to save relevant data and possibly halt execution fig3 a illustrates the steps for detecting a trigger condition in a first instance as illustrated at steps 68 69 the probe will first check the u201c timing state u201d indicated in the message data and determine whether a state transition has occurred from the synchronized state to the unsynchronized state if so then the probe determines whether the reported offset.