Packet processing in a routing instance that is distributed across at least two different routing stacks

A data forwarding device comprising:

• a) a data plane component including a first routing stack associated with a first namespace and an in-band data plane interface;
• b) a control plane component including a second routing stack associated with a second namespace and an out-of-band control plane interface, wherein at least some forwarding information included in the second namespace is incompatible with the first routing stack;
• c) a virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF);
• d) a shared session layer socket associated with both the first routing stack and the second routing stack, and bound to the VRF, wherein the VRF is associated with the out-of-band control plane interface via the second routing stack;
• and
• e) a packet processing module which is adapted to, responsive to adding of the in-band data plane interface to the VRF whereby the VRF is associated with both the in-band data plane interface and the out-of-band control plane interface,
• 1) add routes from the second namespace to the first namespace such that network address prefixes of the second namespace are associated with a special next hop, and
• 2) flag the shared session layer socket bound to the VRF.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions for controlling the forwarding of egress packets in a data forwarding device having

• a first routing stack associated with a first namespace and a first interface,
• a second routing stack associated with a second namespace and a second interface, wherein at least some forwarding information included in the second namespace is incompatible with the first routing stack,
• a virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF), and
• a shared session layer socket associated with both the first routing stack and the second routing stack, and bound to the VRF, wherein the VRF is associated with the second interface via the second routing stack,
• the processor executable instructions, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
• a) adding the first interface to the VRF whereby the VRF is associated with both the first interface and the second interface;
• and
• b) responsive to the adding of the first interface to the VRF,
• 1) adding routes from the second namespace to the first namespace such that network address prefixes of the second namespace are associated with a special next hop, and
• 2) flagging the shared session layer socket bound to the VRF.