An apparatus for deterministically killing one of redundant servers integrated into a network storage appliance chassis along with at least one storage controller is disclosed. Each server can generate a kill signal on a backplane of the chassis to the other server in response to a stopped heartbeat of the other server in order to disable the I/O ports of the other server on a network so the live server can reliably take over the identity of the other server on the network. Unlike conventional kill paths, such as an Ethernet cable connecting the two servers in separate chassis, the present invention does not require the failed server to be operational since the kill path is substantially a direct reset to the I/O ports of the failed server. One server raises a shield before killing the other server to avoid both servers killing each other simultaneously.