Updating instructions executed by a multi-core processor

A computer program product, disposed on a computer readable medium, the program including instructions for causing a processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving execution instructions at a processor including multiple programmable processing cores integrated on a single die;
• selecting a first subset of at least one of the programmable processing cores;
• and
• loading at least a portion of the execution instructions to the first subset of programmable processing cores while at least one of the programmable processing cores not in the first subset continues to process received packets.

A network forwarding device, comprising:

• a switch fabric;
• and
• multiple line cards interconnected by the switch fabric, individual ones of the line cards comprising:
• at least one PHY;
• at least one processor having multiple programmable processing cores integrated on a single die;
• and
• instructions to be executed by the at least one processor to perform operations, comprising an iterative process of:
• freeing one programmable processing core of a set of multiple programmable processing cores integrated on a single die from packet processing operations;
• updating the instructions executed by the freed programmable processing core while at least one of the other programmable processing cores continues to process received packets.