Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing distributed statistical data retrieval in a network device. Periodically, statistical data is gathered by processes on one or more remote cards in a network device and transferred to a central process. The statistical data may comprise, for example, management/historical data including accounting, performance, security and fault logging data (or some portion thereof). In one embodiment, the central process may notify each process as to when gathered statistical data may be reported. This allows the central process to throttle the amount of data sent to the central process in accordance with any existing backlog of data to be processed by the central process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system having a control process and a device driver process that is in communication with the control process, and a local back-up process, independent of both the control process and the device driver process. The local back-up process facilitates recovery of the device driver process. In one aspect of the invention, the computer system is a network device that includes a control plane and a data plan. The control plane includes a control process, and the data plane includes a device driver process. A local back-up process, independent of both the control process and the device driver process, facilitates recovery of the device driver process if the device driver process is terminated.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for enabling flexible egress traffic queuing. A queue selection word is generated and a data queue is monitored for data. An output mask word is generated associating the data queue to an output channel and a priority value if the data queue contains data. The output channel is processed according to the queue selection word and the output mask word.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system having a modular control process, and a modular device driver process that works in conjunction with the control process. The device driver process is capable of continuing operation even if the control process is terminated, for example, upon detection of a fault. In one aspect, the invention provides a network device that includes a control plane and a data plane. The control plane includes a modular control application for establishing and terminating network connections, and the data plane has an independent, modular device driver process for transmitting data over network connections established by the control application. The device driver process is capable of continuing to transmit data over established network connections even if the control application is terminated.