Patent ID: 7522595

Claim:
An apparatus for processing packets including the ability to move packets between forwarding contexts in a packet switching device, the apparatus comprising: a first forwarding context configured to identify forwarding information for packets based on a first forwarding information base; a second forwarding context configured to identify forwarding information for packets based on a second forwarding information base; a first virtual interface configured to receive packets, the first virtual interface being associated with the first forwarding context; a second virtual interface configured to send packets, the second virtual interface being associated with the second forwarding context; a context forwarder, coupled to the first and second virtual interfaces, configured to automatically move all packets that are received by the first virtual interface but not dropped at the first virtual interface into the second virtual interface; and a first forwarding context application processor configured to apply one or more features to said packets received by the first virtual interface before forwarding said received packets from the first virtual interface; wherein the first forwarding context is configured to determine for a particular packet based on the first forwarding information base to forward the particular packet to the second forwarding context, and in response to said determination, the first forwarding context is configured to move the particular packet into the first virtual interface; wherein the apparatus is configured such that the particular packet will not be dropped at the first interface; and wherein the context forwarder is configured to said automatically move all packets not dropped by said application of said features to the second virtual interface.