Root cause analysis of network performance based on exculpation or inculpation sets

A method comprising:

• receiving by a system:
• i. a first end-to-end measurement of a first path in a network that comprises a first plurality of links, and
• ii. a second end-to-end measurement of a second path in the network that comprises a second plurality of links;
• processing by the system:
• i. the first end-to-end measurement to obtain one of a first value and a second value, and
• ii. the second end-to-end measurement to obtain one of the first value and the second value,
• iii. wherein the first value is indicative of adequate performance and the second value is indicative of inadequate performance;
• assigning by the system:
• i. the first value to each link in the first plurality of links after processing the first end-to-end measurement, and
• ii. the second value to each link in the second plurality of links, after processing the second end-to-end measurement;
• determining, by the system, whether a link common to both the first plurality of links and the second plurality of links satisfies a range [x, y], wherein x and y are real numbers;
• obtaining, by the system, a third end-to-end measurement of a third path in the network that includes the link, wherein the third end-to-end measurement is obtained when the link fails to satisfy the range [x, y] after assigning the first value and the second value;
• grouping, by the system, the link into at least one of a first group and a second group based on the third end-to-end measurement satisfying the range [x, y];
• and
• identifying, by the system, a network problem based on at least one of the first group and the second group.