What is the closest noun for "that which confirms"?

Solution 1:

Is the answer not confirmation. It is certainly "that which confirms".

It also works with your example sentence: The confirmation was broken, and clients were unable to establish the requests were submitted.

Solution 2:

Word Hippo has

confirmator
One who, or that which, confirms; a confirmer.

and

confirmer
One who confirms something

along with lots of others, like

confirmee
A person who is confirmed via religious rite.

and

confirmand
A candidate for confirmation or affirmation of baptism.