In some embodiments, a method detects a state of a first session between a first workload and a second workload. The first workload and the second workload send packets in the first session via a first path to maintain a state of the first session. When the state of the first session indicates the first workload is down, the method receives information for network metrics of network traffic being sent in the first path. The method determines when the second workload should transition from a standby mode to an active mode to take over as an active workload in an active/standby configuration between the first workload and the second workload based on the information for the network metrics.