Definition
Plain language
A runtime referee that checks each AI agent's actions against the verified blueprint of how they should coordinate.
As stated in the literature
In TraceFix, a runtime enforcement layer that intercepts agent coordination operations and validates them against the topology contract (channels, labels, lock ownership) of a verified protocol.
Why it matters: It bridges formal verification and runtime safety by enforcing the proved coordination structure even when LLM-based agents misbehave.
For example, if an agent tries to send a message on a channel the verified protocol doesn't permit, the topology monitor blocks the call before it lands.
Heard on the show
“And around that, they put what they call a *topology monitor*.”Episode 034 — Catching Multi-Agent Deadlocks Before Deployment With a 40-Year-Old Tool