Systems design · 1984 · Jerome H. Saltzer, David P. Reed & David D. Clark
End-to-End Arguments in System Design
Place complete checks for certain guarantees at application endpoints; lower-layer checks may improve performance but cannot replace endpoint knowledge.
The central move
Place complete checks for certain guarantees at application endpoints; lower-layer checks may improve performance but cannot replace endpoint knowledge.
Why it had to exist
Layered systems repeatedly implemented reliability, security, and duplicate suppression at lower levels without possessing enough context to know whether the application outcome was correct.
Where it leads
Functional placement → Internet architecture → application checks, zero trust, and defense in depth.