Patent ID: 7734744

Claim:
A system for communicating management information, comprising: a first interface card coupled to a first network device that uses a first operating system; a second interface card coupled to a second network device that uses a second operating system; and a management card coupled to the first interface card and the second interface card, the management card operable to: receive a command from a client, the command identifying an interface card or a network device associated with an interface card; establish a communication link between the client and a particular one of the first interface card and the second interface card selected in response to the command communicated by the client; and communicate management information using the communication link, wherein the management card comprises: a switch operable to establish the communication link between the client and one of a first port and a second port of the management card; a memory operable to store mapping information associating the first port with the first interface card and the second port with the second interface card; and a processor coupled to the memory and the switch, the processor operable to: receive the command; determine the port associated with the particular interface card using the mapping information; command the switch to establish the communication link between the client and the determined port; and configure the management information for the operating system of the network device associated with the particular interface card.