A distributed control system comprising: a low level control system comprising a low-level controller (115, 204) in communication with the hardware asset, a sensor associated with the hardware asset (210, 408) and a low-level control mechanism communicatively coupled with the low-level controller; a high-level controller (105, 202) configured to generate high-level control references based at least in part on a feedback of the sensor associated with the hardware asset; the low-level controller (115, 204) of the low-level control system being in communication with the high-level controller via a network through a communications network connection, and being configured to control input/output (I/O) handlers of the hardware asset (210, 408), the sensor being configured to provide feedback to the low level controller and to the high level controller (105, 202), the low-level controller being configured to: receive, via the network connection, high-level control references from the high-level controller; generate low-level control references for a hardware asset (210, 408) based at least in part on the high-level control references and on feedback; and control of the hardware asset (210, 408) in response to detecting a loss of the network connection; and the low-level control mechanism configured to adjust the low-level control references in response to the loss of the network connection, wherein the low-level control mechanism is further configured to: combine the high-level control references with the low-level control references while the network connection is not in a loss of a connection status between the low-level controller and high-level controller; and transfer control of the hardware asset (210, 408) based on the low-level control references during the loss of the network connection. a low level control system comprising a low-level controller (115, 204) in communication with the hardware asset, a sensor associated with the hardware asset (210, 408) and a low-level control mechanism communicatively coupled with the low-level controller; a high-level controller (105, 202) configured to generate high-level control references based at least in part on a feedback of the sensor associated with the hardware asset; the low-level controller (115, 204) of the low-level control system being in communication with the high-level controller via a network through a communications network connection, and being configured to control input/output (I/O) handlers of the hardware asset (210, 408), the sensor being configured to provide feedback to the low level controller and to the high level controller (105, 202), the low-level controller being configured to: receive, via the network connection, high-level control references from the high-level controller; generate low-level control references for a hardware asset (210, 408) based at least in part on the high-level control references and on feedback; and control of the hardware asset (210, 408) in response to detecting a loss of the network connection; and receive, via the network connection, high-level control references from the high-level controller; generate low-level control references for a hardware asset (210, 408) based at least in part on the high-level control references and on feedback; and control of the hardware asset (210, 408) in response to detecting a loss of the network connection; and the low-level control mechanism configured to adjust the low-level control references in response to the loss of the network connection, wherein the low-level control mechanism is further configured to: combine the high-level control references with the low-level control references while the network connection is not in a loss of a connection status between the low-level controller and high-level controller; and transfer control of the hardware asset (210, 408) based on the low-level control references during the loss of the network connection. combine the high-level control references with the low-level control references while the network connection is not in a loss of a connection status between the low-level controller and high-level controller; and transfer control of the hardware asset (210, 408) based on the low-level control references during the loss of the network connection.