Multiple media access control (mac) addresses

A system comprising:

• a master device;
• a slave device communicatively connected to master device, the slave device including a media access control (MAC) address storage device that stores a real MAC address of the slave device;
• and
• a programmable multicast hash filter, associated with the system, that is programmed to store a virtual MAC address, which is received from the master device, as an entry in a table of the programmable multicast hash filter,
• where the slave device is to use both the real MAC address and the virtual MAC address during a time interval when the slave device assumes the role of the master device.

A method for providing multiple media access control (MAC) addresses for a device of a master/slave system, the method comprising:

• providing, in a MAC address storage of the device, a first MAC address that identifies the device to the master/slave system;
• programming a multicast table entry, of a multicast hash filter, of the master/slave system, with a second MAC address, where the second MAC address identifies the device to the master/slave system and permits the device to act as a master device of the master/slave system;
• using the first MAC address to continue to access administrative services of the master/slave system during a time interval when the device acts as the master device;
• and
• using the second MAC address to route messages during the time interval when the device acts as the master device.