Abstract: In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving, by an agent of a first container of a network device from a second container of the network device, a request for a forwarding engine of the network device to perform an operation. The first container and the second container are located on a control plane of the network device. The first container comprises a set of drivers to support multiple types of forwarding engines. The first container further comprises an operating system. The method also includes providing the request to the operating system. The operating system uses a first driver of the set of drivers to communicate with the forwarding engine. The method further includes performing the operation requested by the second container. The method further includes providing a result of the operation to the second container in response to determining that the result should be provided to the second container.