Patent ID: 8036106

Claim:
A packet switch operating method comprising: using first processing circuitry of the packet switch, configuring different second processing circuitry of the packet switch to periodically create first control packets and to transmit the first control packets to a destination device via a port of the packet switch; subsequent to the configuring and using the second processing circuitry, creating the first control packets and transmitting the first control packets to the destination device via the port during moments in time after the configuring of the second processing circuitry when the first processing circuitry is non-operational; the second processing circuitry receiving a second control packet from the destination device; in response to the receiving of the second control packet, the second processing circuitry notifying the first processing circuitry; and in response to the notifying, the first processing circuitry modifying a control packet processing behavior of the second processing circuitry.