application distribution chassis 300 in an example illustrated in fig4 slave blade 314 and master blade 312 receives slave report message 510 from slave blade 310 contrary to including status indication within the slave report message 510 the receipt of the slave report message 510 itself indicates to slave blade 314 and master blade 312 that slave blade 310 is operating properly slave blade 314 and master blade 312 each marks slave blade 310 as being in proper running status in one embodiment slave blade 314 includes a timer 324 if slave blade 314 does not receive message 510 from slave blade 310 before the timer 324 expires slave blade 314 considers slave blade 310 as u201c failed u201d i e not available to process service requests similarly master blade 312 considers slave blade 310 as u201c failed u201d if master blade 312 does not receive message 510 from slave blade 310 before timer 322 expires master blade 312 sends out master advertisement message 504 another form of virtual application delivery chassis message 500 to inform the slave blades in the virtual application delivery chassis 300 that master blade 312 is running properly in one embodiment master blade 312 includes a timer 322 configured to measure a predetermined period of.