Patent ID: 8990365
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for processing a management packet at a network device including at least one line card, the method comprising: receiving, via an external or internal network of a first line card of the network device, a packet at a processor on the first line card operatively coupled to at least one of a control plane and a data plane; determining that the received packet is a management control packet; forwarding, by the receiving processor, the management control packet to a first management plane processor on the first line card, wherein the first management plane processor is a separate processor from the receiving processor, and wherein a management plane associated with the first management plane processor does not have a direct in-band access to the external network of the network device; identifying a management process associated with the received management control packet; determining, based upon a services directory of a task manager, a second management plane processor on a second line card of the network device that is at least in part associated with the identified management process; forwarding, via a management plane communication path within the network device, the management control packet toward the second management plane processor of the network device; generating, at the second management plane processor, instructions based on said management control packet for configuring at least one of the control plane and the data plane; distributing the configuration instructions to components of the network device; and configuring, based on the distributed configuration instructions, at least one of the control plane and the data plane.