Patent ID: 7734748

Claim:
A router, comprising: a plurality of physical interfaces for receiving data from the network and assembling packets of data, a first processor supporting a first processing environment, at least one network processor for processing the packets of data, a switch fabric for switching the packets of data between physical interfaces, so that the router may receive data from the network, assemble the data into packets, process the packets, switch the packets, and then output at least some of the packets of data back onto the network; an intelligent interface between the first processing environment and a management device external to the router, said intelligent interface being an interface other than one of the plurality of physical interfaces and comprising a second processor supporting a second processing environment independent of the first processing environment, the second processor being able to boot independent of a boot process of the first processing environment, an internal interface enabling the first processing environment to be accessed from the second processing environment, and an external interface connected to the second processing environment to enable the second processing environment to be accessed from the management device external to the router; wherein the intelligent interface is configured to serve as an interface between the first processing environment and external resources during the run-time of the router to provide access for the first processing environment to at least one of an external storage facility, an external security device, and an external logging facility.