Patent ID: 7206310

Claim:
A method comprising: storing packet data including a packet header and a packet body within a storage element, wherein storing packet data includes: storing said packet body within a common storage element; storing a copy of said packet header within a unique storage element for each of a plurality of output interfaces; and associating each of said plurality of unique storage elements with said common storage element; transmitting said packet data from said storage element via said plurality of output interfaces; maintaining a transmit count value of said storage element, wherein maintaining a transmit count value includes: initializing said transmit count value by setting said transmit count value of each of said plurality of unique storage elements equal to one less than a release count value; and incrementing said transmit count value by one in response to transmitting; determining said release count value of said storage element; comparing said transmit count value and said release count value; and de-allocating said storage element in response to comparing said transmit count value and said release count value.