Transient tolerant verification of communications paths between devices

A method comprising the step of:

• generating by a first device a first knowledge digest encoding first configuration information associated with current communications information related to a second device,
• generating by the first device a second knowledge digest encoding second configuration information associated with cumulative communications information related to the second device,
• receiving by the first device a message from the second device, the message including a third knowledge digest encoding third configuration information,
• comparing by the first device the first knowledge digest to the third knowledge digest and producing a first indication if the configuration information encoded in the third knowledge digest is not a subset of the configuration information encoded in the first knowledge digest, and
• comparing by the first device responsive to the first indication the second knowledge digest to the third knowledge digest and producing a second indication if the configuration information encoded in the third knowledge digest is not a subset of the configuration information encoded in the second knowledge digest.