Abstract: Systems and methods for managing packet memory. Various clients in a router need to read from and/or write to the contents of individual packets. In one embodiment, all accesses to packet memory are via a packet manager. Individual clients are issued packet handles to use in identifying particular packets to the packet manager. The packet manager translates between the packet handles and pointers to packet memory locations. To assure robust performance after restarting the packet manager, each packet handle indicates which run version of the packet manager was responsible for generating the handle. The packet manager refuses requests for packet access using handles generated by previous versions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing processor redundancy in a system such as a router. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a primary processor is about to crash in a system having two or more processors, the imminent crash is identified prior to the occurrence of the actual crash. The primary processor sends a message to the secondary processor to indicate that it is crashing. The primary also sets a timer to determine a period of time to wait prior to crashing. When the secondary processor receives the message from the primary processor, the secondary processor becomes the new primary processor. The new primary processor then sends an acknowledgement to the old primary processor. The old primary processor crashes and reboots as the new secondary processor.