An apparatus comprising: a first hardware assist device comprising: at least one transmitter configured to transmit at least one first signal to a second hardware assist device of a redundant second apparatus , the at least one first signal indicating to the second hardware assist device that the apparatus is functional, wherein the hardware assist devices denote hardware components used to facilitate faster identification of the loss of a redundant device; at least one receiver configured to receive at least one second signal from the second hardware assist device, the at least one second signal indicating to the first hardware assist device that the second apparatus is functional; and a timer configured to control a driver in order to block transmission of the at least one first signal in response to a fault associated with the apparatus; and at least one processing device configured to perform one or more actions in response to a loss of the at least one second signal from the second apparatus, wherein the one or more actions comprise: when the apparatus is operating in a secondary mode and the second apparatus is operating in a primary mode, switching the apparatus to operate in the primary mode and sending a mode change command to the second apparatus; and when the apparatus is operating in the primary mode and the second apparatus is operating in the secondary mode, stopping a synchronization of the apparatus and the second apparatus. a first hardware assist device comprising: at least one transmitter configured to transmit at least one first signal to a second hardware assist device of a redundant second apparatus , the at least one first signal indicating to the second hardware assist device that the apparatus is functional, wherein the hardware assist devices denote hardware components used to facilitate faster identification of the loss of a redundant device; at least one receiver configured to receive at least one second signal from the second hardware assist device, the at least one second signal indicating to the first hardware assist device that the second apparatus is functional; and a timer configured to control a driver in order to block transmission of the at least one first signal in response to a fault associated with the apparatus; and at least one transmitter configured to transmit at least one first signal to a second hardware assist device of a redundant second apparatus , the at least one first signal indicating to the second hardware assist device that the apparatus is functional, wherein the hardware assist devices denote hardware components used to facilitate faster identification of the loss of a redundant device; at least one receiver configured to receive at least one second signal from the second hardware assist device, the at least one second signal indicating to the first hardware assist device that the second apparatus is functional; and a timer configured to control a driver in order to block transmission of the at least one first signal in response to a fault associated with the apparatus; and at least one processing device configured to perform one or more actions in response to a loss of the at least one second signal from the second apparatus, wherein the one or more actions comprise: when the apparatus is operating in a secondary mode and the second apparatus is operating in a primary mode, switching the apparatus to operate in the primary mode and sending a mode change command to the second apparatus; and when the apparatus is operating in the primary mode and the second apparatus is operating in the secondary mode, stopping a synchronization of the apparatus and the second apparatus. <EOS>