A real time distributed network (200, 400) comprising: a master device (210, 410); a real-time distributed network slave device comprising: a first real-time distributed network slave module and at least one further real-time distributed network slave module each comprising: a first communications component (260, 460) arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least a first real-time distributed network connection; at least one further communications component (270, 470) arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least one further real-time distributed network connection; and at least one processing component (280, 480);wherein the first real-time distributed network slave module is selectively configurable to operate in a first processing mode in which the at least one processing component is configured to process real-time distributed network data travelling in a first direction between the first and at least one further communications component, and at least one further processing mode in which the at least one processing component is configured to process real-time distributed network data travelling in at least a second direction between the first and at least one further communications component; and the real-time distributed network slave device further comprising a high resolution timing source, and the real-time distributed network slave device is adapted to provide said timing source to the first real-time distributed network slave module and the at least one further real-time distributed network slave module to synchronize their respective paths following a link failure. a master device (210, 410); a real-time distributed network slave device comprising: a first real-time distributed network slave module and at least one further real-time distributed network slave module each comprising: a first communications component (260, 460) arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least a first real-time distributed network connection; at least one further communications component (270, 470) arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least one further real-time distributed network connection; and at least one processing component (280, 480);wherein the first real-time distributed network slave module is selectively configurable to operate in a first processing mode in which the at least one processing component is configured to process real-time distributed network data travelling in a first direction between the first and at least one further communications component, and at least one further processing mode in which the at least one processing component is configured to process real-time distributed network data travelling in at least a second direction between the first and at least one further communications component; and the real-time distributed network slave device further comprising a high resolution timing source, and the real-time distributed network slave device is adapted to provide said timing source to the first real-time distributed network slave module and the at least one further real-time distributed network slave module to synchronize their respective paths following a link failure. a first communications component (260, 460) arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least a first real-time distributed network connection; at least one further communications component (270, 470) arranged to transmit and receive real-time distributed network data over at least one further real-time distributed network connection; and at least one processing component (280, 480);wherein the first real-time distributed network slave module is selectively configurable to operate in a first processing mode in which the at least one processing component is configured to process real-time distributed network data travelling in a first direction between the first and at least one further communications component, and at least one further processing mode in which the at least one processing component is configured to process real-time distributed network data travelling in at least a second direction between the first and at least one further communications component; and the real-time distributed network slave device further comprising a high resolution timing source, and the real-time distributed network slave device is adapted to provide said timing source to the first real-time distributed network slave module and the at least one further real-time distributed network slave module to synchronize their respective paths following a link failure.