1. A testing apparatus comprising: a communication bridge component operative to obtain control instructions generated by a client application for assessing a fault state of a device and to transmit the control instructions to the device, wherein the control instructions comprise instructions directed to causing at least one change in at least one operating state of the device when processed by the device; a device output component operative to obtain an output signal from the device, wherein the output signal from the device is responsive to the control instructions transmitted by the communication bridge component; and a data processing component for assessing device fault state response to processing the control instructions in substantially real time based on a comparison of the control instructions and the output signal, wherein the fault state of the device is assessed when at least an attribute of the output signal corresponds to an indication of an expected change in the at least one operating state of the device.