Patent ID: 8144630

Claim:
An apparatus for routing packets in a data network, said apparatus being configured to operate in a first state or a second state, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of network I/O ports, wherein each of said plurality of network Input/Output (I/O) ports i) is associated with a first communications interface and ii) is configured to be communicatively connected to said data network; a local control I/O port, wherein said local control I/O port is associated with a second communication interface that is different from the first communication interface associated with each of said plurality of network I/O ports; and a controller configured to: in response to i) said apparatus operating in said first state, and ii) said apparatus receiving control input data from at least one of said plurality of network I/O ports, process said control input data to i) configure said apparatus to correctly route packets among said plurality of network I/O ports, and ii) generate control output data for configuring a second apparatus, and provide said control output data to said second apparatus via at least one of said plurality of network I/O ports; and in response to i) said apparatus operating in said first state, and ii) said apparatus receiving said control input data from said local I/O port, process said control input data to i) configure said apparatus to correctly route packets among said plurality of network I/O ports, and ii) generate control output data for configuring a second apparatus, and provide said control output data to said second apparatus via at least one of said plurality of network I/O ports; in response to i) said apparatus operating in said second state, and ii) said apparatus receiving said control input data from said local control I/O port, determine a second apparatus to which said control input data should be provided, and providing said control input data to said second apparatus via at least one of said plurality of network I/O ports, receive control output data from at least one of said plurality of network I/O ports, said control data having been generated by said second apparatus based on said control input data provided to said second apparatus, and configure said apparatus to correctly route packets among said plurality of network I/O ports based on said control output data.