diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 4c99d8603..412fca4cd 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ pub use self::raft::{
 pub use self::raft_log::{RaftLog, NO_LIMIT};
 pub use self::raw_node::{is_empty_snap, Peer, RawNode, Ready, SnapshotStatus};
 pub use self::read_only::{ReadOnlyOption, ReadState};
-pub use self::status::Status;
+pub use self::status::{Status, StatusRef};
 pub use self::storage::{RaftState, Storage};
 
 pub mod prelude {
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ pub mod prelude {
 
     pub use progress::Progress;
 
-    pub use status::Status;
+    pub use status::{Status, StatusRef};
 
     pub use read_only::{ReadOnlyOption, ReadState};
 }
diff --git a/src/raft.rs b/src/raft.rs
index 307c058a6..3928d0ec2 100644
--- a/src/raft.rs
+++ b/src/raft.rs
@@ -566,6 +566,13 @@ impl<T: Storage> Raft<T> {
         self.set_prs(prs);
     }
 
+    /// Broadcasts heartbeats to all the followers if it's leader.
+    pub fn ping(&mut self) {
+        if self.state == StateRole::Leader {
+            self.bcast_heartbeat();
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Sends RPC, without entries to all the peers.
     pub fn bcast_heartbeat(&mut self) {
         let ctx = self.read_only.last_pending_request_ctx();
diff --git a/src/raw_node.rs b/src/raw_node.rs
index 09f4fb625..94da81d85 100644
--- a/src/raw_node.rs
+++ b/src/raw_node.rs
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ use protobuf::{self, RepeatedField};
 use super::config::Config;
 use super::errors::{Error, Result};
 use super::read_only::ReadState;
-use super::Status;
 use super::Storage;
 use super::{Raft, SoftState, INVALID_ID};
+use super::{Status, StatusRef};
 
 /// Represents a Peer node in the cluster.
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
@@ -286,6 +286,13 @@ impl<T: Storage> RawNode<T> {
         self.raft.step(m)
     }
 
+    /// Broadcast heartbeats to all the followers.
+    ///
+    /// If it's not leader, nothing will happen.
+    pub fn ping(&mut self) {
+        self.raft.ping()
+    }
+
     /// ProposeConfChange proposes a config change.
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "cargo-clippy", allow(clippy::needless_pass_by_value))]
     pub fn propose_conf_change(&mut self, context: Vec<u8>, cc: ConfChange) -> Result<()> {
@@ -423,6 +430,13 @@ impl<T: Storage> RawNode<T> {
         Status::new(&self.raft)
     }
 
+    /// Returns the current status of the given group.
+    ///
+    /// It's borrows the internal progress set instead of copying.
+    pub fn status_ref(&self) -> StatusRef {
+        StatusRef::new(&self.raft)
+    }
+
     /// ReportUnreachable reports the given node is not reachable for the last send.
     pub fn report_unreachable(&mut self, id: u64) {
         let mut m = Message::new();
diff --git a/src/status.rs b/src/status.rs
index 9851971cd..15f020696 100644
--- a/src/status.rs
+++ b/src/status.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 use eraftpb::HardState;
 use fxhash::FxHashMap;
 
-use progress::Progress;
+use progress::{Progress, ProgressSet};
 use raft::{Raft, SoftState, StateRole};
 use storage::Storage;
 
@@ -66,3 +66,35 @@ impl Status {
         s
     }
 }
+
+/// Represents the current status of the raft
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct StatusRef<'a> {
+    /// The ID of the current node.
+    pub id: u64,
+    /// The hardstate of the raft, representing voted state.
+    pub hs: HardState,
+    /// The softstate of the raft, representing proposed state.
+    pub ss: SoftState,
+    /// The index of the last entry to have been applied.
+    pub applied: u64,
+    /// The progress towards catching up and applying logs.
+    pub progress: Option<&'a ProgressSet>,
+}
+
+impl<'a> StatusRef<'a> {
+    /// Gets the current raft status.
+    pub fn new<T: Storage>(raft: &'a Raft<T>) -> StatusRef<'a> {
+        let mut s = StatusRef {
+            id: raft.id,
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+        s.hs = raft.hard_state();
+        s.ss = raft.soft_state();
+        s.applied = raft.raft_log.get_applied();
+        if s.ss.raft_state == StateRole::Leader {
+            s.progress = Some(raft.prs());
+        }
+        s
+    }
+}