Processing, such as debug and/or recovery processing, within a communications environment is facilitated. Responsive to detecting an event, a stop signal is propagated through a communications network of the communications environment, and each network element that receives the stop signal, transmits the signal to its neighbors (if any), and then performs an action depending on its specific programming. The action can be to take no action, perform a debugging action or perform a recovery action. The elements that receive the signal and perform the same action as other elements form a coordinated network providing a coordinated result.