Methods and devices are provided for simulating a direct failure between a network device and an end device. In some implementations, the network device is a gateway of a first network and the end device is a host or a storage device on the first network. In some implementations, the network device includes a linked interface, the administrative and/or operational state of which is determined by the operational state of one or more tracked interfaces. The tracked interfaces may be in the same network device or other network devices, and may be physical or virtual. In some such implementations, when a tracked interface fails, the linked interface will bring down a link between the network device and the end device, thereby causing a switchover to a redundant path. Other implementations involve direct notification of the network device that the link has failed or is about to fail.