Hardware-assisted fast data path switchover for a network device with redundant forwarding components

A network device, comprising:

• a first routing component;
• a second routing component;
• a first forwarding component;
• a second forwarding component;
• and
• a physical interface card concentrator with multiple physical interface cards,
• wherein the first routing component is configured to:
• provide, to the physical interface card concentrator, a signal indicating that the second forwarding component is to be an active forwarding component,
• wherein the signal is provided independent of the first forwarding component experiencing a failure, and
• provide one or more packets to the second forwarding component,
• wherein the physical interface card concentrator is configured to:
• cause, based on the signal, a data path for the multiple physical interface cards to be simultaneously switched from the first forwarding component to the second forwarding component,
• wherein the second forwarding component is configured to:
• provide the one or more packets to the multiple physical interface cards via the data path, and
• wherein the multiple physical interface cards are configured to:
• forward the one or more packets toward one or more destinations associated with the one or more packets.

A system comprising:

• a first routing component;
• a second routing component;
• a first forwarding component;
• a second forwarding component;
• and
• a plurality of physical interface cards,
• wherein the first routing component is configured to:
• provide a signal indicating that the second forwarding component is to be an active forwarding component,
• wherein, based on the signal, a data path for the physical interface cards is simultaneously switched from the first forwarding component to the second forwarding component, and
• wherein the signal is provided independent of the first forwarding component experiencing a failure;
• provide one or more packets to the second forwarding component,
• wherein the second forwarding component is configured to:
• provide the one or more packets to the physical interface cards via the data path, and
• wherein the plurality of physical interface cards are configured to:
• forward the one or more packets toward one or more destinations associated with the one or more packets,
• receive one or more additional packets, and
• provide the one or more additional packets to the second forwarding component to cause the second forwarding component to provide the one or more additional packets to the first routing component.