A method for communicating data in a virtualized environment where data traffic is distributed to a virtual network via virtual network gateways using a load balancer , the method comprising: in response to a primary virtual network gateway receiving a notification that the primary virtual network gateway will be brought down, disconnecting existing virtual network tunnels on the primary virtual network gateway and establishing new virtual network tunnels on a backup virtual network gateway ; continuing to respond, by the primary virtual network gateway, to health probes from the load balancer; forwarding incoming data traffic from the primary virtual network gateway to the backup virtual network gateway; queuing, by the backup virtual network gateway, incoming data and establishing new connections using the backup virtual network gateway; sending, by the backup virtual network gateway, queued packets to destination resources subsequent to establishment of new connections; responding , by the backup virtual network gateway, to health probes from the load balancer when new virtual network tunnels are connected at the backup virtual network gateway; and subsequent to an elapsed time delay: terminating responses to subsequent health probes by the primary virtual network gateway; and terminating the forwarding of the incoming data traffic from the primary virtual network gateway to the backup virtual network gateway; wherein the time delay is determined based on a polling interval of the health probes or a time to effect a virtual network gateway switchover. in response to a primary virtual network gateway receiving a notification that the primary virtual network gateway will be brought down, disconnecting existing virtual network tunnels on the primary virtual network gateway and establishing new virtual network tunnels on a backup virtual network gateway ; continuing to respond, by the primary virtual network gateway, to health probes from the load balancer; forwarding incoming data traffic from the primary virtual network gateway to the backup virtual network gateway; queuing, by the backup virtual network gateway, incoming data and establishing new connections using the backup virtual network gateway; sending, by the backup virtual network gateway, queued packets to destination resources subsequent to establishment of new connections; responding , by the backup virtual network gateway, to health probes from the load balancer when new virtual network tunnels are connected at the backup virtual network gateway; and subsequent to an elapsed time delay: terminating responses to subsequent health probes by the primary virtual network gateway; and terminating the forwarding of the incoming data traffic from the primary virtual network gateway to the backup virtual network gateway; wherein the time delay is determined based on a polling interval of the health probes or a time to effect a virtual network gateway switchover. terminating responses to subsequent health probes by the primary virtual network gateway; and terminating the forwarding of the incoming data traffic from the primary virtual network gateway to the backup virtual network gateway; wherein the time delay is determined based on a polling interval of the health probes or a time to effect a virtual network gateway switchover. <EOS>