Patent ID: 7861109

Claim:
A network element comprising: N interface units, wherein a value of N is an integer greater than 1; a plurality of links; and M processing units comprising N primary processing units and L redundant processing units, wherein each of said interface units is coupled to L+1 of said M processing units, a value of L is an integer greater than 0 and less than N, a value of M equals N plus L, each of said links is configured to couple a one of said interface units and a one of said M processing units, each of said interface units is configured to select a one of a plurality of said links that couple said each of said interface units and ones of said M processing units to one another, each of said interface units is coupled to a respective primary one of said N primary processing units, said respective primary one of said N primary processing units is an I th one of said M processing units, a value of I is an integer greater than 0 and less than M+1, each of said interface units is coupled to a respective standby one of said M processing units, said respective standby one of said M processing units is an (I+1) th one of said M processing units, in the event of failure of a J th one of said N primary processing units, said each one of said interface units from a J th one of said interface units to an N th one of said interface units is configured to switch over from said respective primary one of said N primary processing units to said respective standby one of said M processing units, and a value of J is an integer greater than 0 and less than (N+1).