Patent ID: 8503289

Claim:
A system comprising: a set of ports; a first processor configurable to perform a set of multicast routing-related functions and to maintain a first routing information usable for performing the set of multicast routing-related functions; and a linecard coupled to at least one port from the set of ports, the linecard comprising a packet processor with associated one or more memories and a linecard processor coupled to a volatile memory; wherein the linecard processor is configurable to: maintain a second routing information in the volatile memory based on the first routing information; program, based on the second routing information, a first memory from the associated one or more memories with a third routing information, the third routing information used by the packet processor to facilitate forwarding of a multicast packet; enable correlation information to be preserved across a reboot of the linecard processor; and upon reboot of the linecard processor: build a fourth routing information in the volatile memory; and link the fourth routing information with the third routing information used by the packet processor, using the correlation information.