Patent ID: 8468495

Claim:
A network device comprising: a central processing unit (CPU) configured to assist in the processing of one or more data packets; a memory configured to store one or more tables that include operating state information; and a non-volatile reload buffer configured to store non-recoverable operating state information; wherein the network device is configured to: receive the one or more data packets, during a time period when the CPU is unavailable, determine if the processing of the received data packets requires an assistance of the CPU, if not, process the data packets without the assistance of the CPU, if so, store the received data packets that require the assistance of the CPU for processing when the CPU again becomes available, and during a time period when the CPU is operating in a reload mode, provide the CPU with requested non-recoverable operating state information from the non-volatile reload buffer, and process the received data packet that require the assistance of the CPU.