Patent ID: 7330467

Claim:
A computer readable medium storing computer software for enabling an intelligent discovery process for a router to adapt dynamically to changes in router chassis resources, wherein the software comprising codes for performing: a plurality of line card drivers, each of the plurality of line card drivers being uniquely associated with a line card device from a plurality of line card devices and configured to control the uniquely associated line card device; at least one switch fabric driver, each of the at least one switch fabric drivers being associated with a corresponding one of at least one switch fabric device and configured to control the corresponding one of the at least one switch fabric devices; a plurality of middleware components, each of the plurality of middleware components being included in a corresponding one of the plurality of line card drivers or the at least one switch fabric driver to enable communication with the single proxy driver, wherein each of the plurality of middleware components include a corresponding one of a plurality of local routing tables, each of the plurality of local routing tables including at least a portion of a master topology definition; and a single proxy driver in communication with the plurality of line card drivers and the at least one switch fabric driver, the single proxy driver being configured to control the plurality of line card devices and the at least one switch fabric device.