Patent ID: 7171551

Claim:
For use in a communication device comprising a plurality of network interface cards for communicating with an external data network, an apparatus for transferring a replacement program into a plurality of dedicated memories in said plurality of network interface cards, said apparatus comprising: a replacement program memory capable of storing said replacement program; a first microcontroller coupled to said replacement program memory and having a first dedicated memory associated therewith; a second microcontroller coupled to said replacement program memory and having a second dedicated memory associated therewith, wherein said first microcontroller is capable of monitoring a first signal line to said replacement program memory to determine if said second microcontroller is transferring said replacement program from said replacement program memory to said second dedicated memory and wherein said first microcontroller, in response to a determination that said second microcontroller is transferring said replacement program, is capable of transferring at least a portion of said replacement program to said first dedicated memory as said replacement program is read from said replacement program memory by said second microcontroller.