Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for providing high availability in a session supporting multiple protocols. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide for high availability processing by decoupling an application session from protocol processing. That is, protocol processing can be performed at protocol nodes specific to each protocol session. The protocol nodes can then pass messages to and from a session node that performs session processing other than the protocol processing. The session of the first session node can be replicated on a second session node and, upon a failure of the first session node, control of the session can be passed to the second session node. The session can then be continued on the second session node according to a number of different models described herein.